A common phrase is a "picture is worth a thousand words," so what does a picture say about water?
Today, March 22nd, is World Water Day, an international celebration dedicated to the importance of water. World Water Day is an opportunity to focus attention on the water related challenges afflicting humanity and our planet.
For some, water may feel unlimited, for others water is a scare resource. For literallly billions of people clean water and improved sanitation is currently only a pipe dream.
663 million people don't have access to clean water, and 2.4 billion people lack access to improved sanitation. For others in the world, especially girls and women the amount of time spent collecting water limits opportunities to go to school and receive an education.
Water is essential to life. Access to clean water can rapidly improve the quality of life for those would cannot easily access it. So today let's celebrate water around the world and raise awareness for those who still need better access to both clean water and proper sanitation.
To truly understand the role water plays in our world, here are ten photos to get you thinking about this precious resource that too many people are denied.
1) Pakistan
2) Afghanistan
3) Syria -- refugee camp
4) Flint, Michigan, United States
5) Greece -- refugee camp
Pics of the Day: Refugee family members wash a newborn baby in the open air on Greek border https://t.co/NzFPsu3ng6pic.twitter.com/EJ0pfuRE2G
— Telegraph Pictures (@TelegraphPics) March 12, 2016
6) Myanmar
We're bringing you to Myanmar, where UNICEF #WASH promotes good hygiene and sanitation practices in schools #waterispic.twitter.com/vN92xoXmR6
— UNICEF Water (@UNICEFwater) February 27, 2016
7) Laos
8) India
#WorldWaterDay: India home to highest number without clean water.https://t.co/pvPclYyknypic.twitter.com/PWxnRXQ7m3
— The Quint (@TheQuint) March 22, 2016
9) Bangladesh
9 years of WASH in Bangladesh 39M people with toilets & 2.3M have safe water #WorldWaterDayhttps://t.co/hnx6MCYv6Ppic.twitter.com/FjiQjepPRt
— BRAC (@BRACworld) March 22, 2016
10) Kenya
Commissioning of Boreholes in #Kakuma last year to boost water supply #WorldWaterDayhttps://t.co/lHRCEdTrD1pic.twitter.com/GBMIQBqqDs
— UNHCR KENYA (@UNHCR_Kenya) March 22, 2016
Water is literally the source and sustenance of life around the world. Access to clean water is a basic human right. The ability to defecate in a toilet is a necessary step towards protecting millions of people - particulalry children- from preventable illness and death.
On World Water Day pour yourself a glass of water and take action to help everyone get access to clean water and sanitation.