ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – The United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that more 26.5 million Nigerian children are currently experiencing high or extremely high water vulnerability.
This represents 29 percent of Nigerian children, a development it described as particularly worrisome.
UNICEF which stated these while commemorating the 2021 World Water Day, said that globally, more than 1.42 billion people – including 450 million children are living in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability.
The analysis which is part of the Water Security for all initiative, identifies areas where physical water scarcity risks overlap with poor water service levels. Communities living in these areas depend on surface water, unimproved sources of water, or water that can take more than 30 minutes to collect.
This according to UNICEF means that 1 in 5 children worldwide does not have enough water to meet their everyday needs.
In the UNICEF report made available to journalists in Bauchi by its representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins states that the figures in Nigeria are particularly worrisome.
It further states; “The world’s water crisis is not coming – it is here, and children are its biggest victims. When wells dry up, children are the ones missing school to fetch water. When droughts diminish food supplies, children suffer from malnutrition and stunting. When floods hit, children fall ill from waterborne illnesses. And when water is not available in Nigerian communities, children cannot wash their hands to fight off diseases”.
The UNICEF data also indicates that children in more than 80 countries live in areas with high or extremely high water vulnerability with Eastern and Southern Africa having the highest proportion of children living in such areas, with more than half of children, 58 per cent facing difficulty accessing sufficient water every day.
According to UNICEF; “It is followed by West and Central Africa (31 per cent), South Asia (25 per cent), and the Middle East (23 per cent). South Asia is home to the largest number of children living in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability – more than 155 million children.
“Children in 37 ‘hotspot’ countries face especially dire circumstances, in terms of absolute numbers, the proportions of children affected, and where global resources, support and urgent action must be mobilized.
“This list includes Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Tanzania and Yemen.
“Last year, the Nigerian Government and UNICEF released a WASH NORM study which showed that while there has been some progress, thanks to efforts by the Ministry of Water Resources and its partners to strengthen the sector’s planning and monitoring – there is still much more work to be done in the country to ensure that all Nigerians have access to adequate and quality water and hygiene services.
“Sustainable and equitable access to safe drinking water remains a challenge in Nigeria, with over 86 per cent of Nigerians lacking access to a safely managed drinking water source. The problem is compounded by poor drinking water quality and lack of equity in access,” it said.
He concluded by saying; “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.”
