EU says clean water is a security issue

The European Union has said that having access to clean water is not just a basic human right for all but a security issue. Commemorating the 2016 world water day, the vice president of the EU commission, Federica Mogherini in a statement said the control of water resources is still a basic motivator of conflicts in various areas. 

The world water day is celebrated March 22 of every year. This year’s world water day is themed: “Water and jobs”. Mogherini said desertification has destabilized land areas with droughts and floods leading to various levels of human mobility around the globe. “Sometimes we need to look at the numbers. 

One human being in ten does not have access to drinking water. One in three does not have access to adequate sanitation. 1.6 billion people currently live in regions of absolute water scarcity: a figure that will nearly double over the next 10 years,” Mogherini said.

Noting that over 34,000 children under the age of five die each year due to dirty water and poor hygiene, Morgherini said the EU reaffirms its commitment to the availability and sustainable management of water for everyone. 

“Being able to drink clean, safe water; having access to proper sanitation: these are basic human rights for all, not just for those privileged enough to take them for granted,” she said. 

“We know we are not alone; last September the international community joined together in New York in adopting the 2030 United Nations Agenda. “We all recognized water as a priority area to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development worldwide. 

Indeed, we as the European Union are already supporting those people hit by natural and man-made disasters by providing life-saving access to safe water.

“With water scarcity and water stress on the rise, there is only one way to deal with this challenge: together, cooperating beyond borders and political divides. From trans-national cooperation as well as transparent, rules-based solutions are essential. Climate change and our ever-growing population are global issues, which can only be dealt with through global solutions. 

“In Paris, world leaders came together to protect future generations through a global agreement on climate change. It was an example of how multilateralism works, but it also was a reminder of how far we have to go. 

Now it is the time for action,” she said. Water Aid, a charity organization focused on transforming lives of the poorest people by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene said that 57 million people in Nigeria do not have access to safe water. 

The organization also said that over 130 million people – a two thirds of the population – do not have access to adequate sanitation in Nigeria while 25,000 children die every year from diarrhea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation in the country.