Triple threat: how disease, climate risks, and unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene create a deadly combination for children

Safe water is essential to life itself. Proper sanitation and hygiene prevent the spread of disease and infection, and ensure human dignity. Without these essential services, the most basic needs of children’s lives are unmet. Globally, 600 million children still lack safely managed drinking water, 1.1 billion lack safely managed sanitation and 689 million lack basic hygiene service, 149 million children still face the indignity of practising open defecation and unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is still responsible for the deaths of around 1,000 children under 5 every day. The challenge of extending WASH services to children in need is further compounded by water scarcity, floods and cyclones all exacerbated by the climate crisis. In advance of the 2023 United Nations Water Conference, this Advocacy Spotlight examines the “triple burden” of WASH-related threats facing children at the intersection of access to WASH services, the burden of WASH-related diseases, and climate threats. Through examining the burden of disease from unsafe WASH, where the problem is greatest is seen and through examining access to water and sanitation services, where investment is the lowest is seen. Through examining climate threats, we see which countries face the greatest risk to both health and services for children.