2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water: Four organizations call for action ahead of the UN Water Conference
Four organizations are calling for urgent global action on water access, noting that 2.1 billion people still lack safe drinking water. They criticize governments for prioritizing military spending over essential infrastructure and warn against the financialization of water resources.
Why it matters
The report highlights a growing humanitarian crisis and the tension between human rights and the commodification of natural resources.
Sixteen years after the UN recognized safe drinking water as a fundamental human right, the crisis is worsening: 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and 3.4 billion lack access to basic sanitation—figures that have risen since 2010. The Agora of the Inhabitants of the Earth, the Collectif Bassines Non Merci!, Rise For Climate and Vital condemn governments’ failure to uphold this right and call on citizen movements, labor unions, and civil society to mobilize ahead of the major UN Water Conference scheduled for December 2026.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in