United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF says about 26.5 million Nigerian Children do not have enough water to meet their daily needs and are experiencing high or extremely high water vulnerability.
According to UNICEF in a message to commemorate the 2021 World Water Day, says globally, more than 1.42 billion people, including 450 million children are living in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability.
According to a new analysis released by UNICEF, one in five children worldwide lack water to meet their everyday needs.
The analysis, is part of the Water Security For All Initiative, identifies areas where physical water scarcity risks overlap with poor water service levels.
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins, says that Communities living in these areas depend on surface water, unimproved sources of water, or water that can take more than 30 minutes to collect.
The UNICEF data show that children in more than 80 countries live in areas with high or extremely high water vulnerability with Eastern and Southern Africa with the highest proportion.
It is followed by West and Central Africa (31 per cent), South Asia (25 per cent), and the Middle East (23 per cent).
Hawkins noted that in 2020, the Nigerian Government and UNICEF released a WASH NORM survey which showed some progress, through the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and its partners to strengthen the sector’s planning and monitoring.
“We can only achieve water security for every Nigerian, including the Nigerian child through innovation, investment and collaboration, and by ensuring services are sustainable and well-managed, We must act for the sake of our children and our planet.”
The theme of World Water Day 2021 is ‘Valuing Water’.
RN