The Challenge

Three out of ten people (2.1 billion people in 2015) do not have access to safe drinking water, six out of ten (4.5 billion people in 2015) do not have access to safely managed sanitation services, and one out of nine (892 million people) practice open defecation.

Improved water resources management and access to safe water and sanitation for all is essential for eradicating poverty, building peaceful and prosperous societies, and ensuring that ‘no one is left behind’ on the path towards sustainable development.

Impact

Between 2003 and 2020, UN-Habitat mobilized over
$190 million
through the Urban Basic Services Trust Fund
More than
2.7 million
people benefited from improved access to water and sanitation, through UN-Habitat-supported field demonstration projects in Egypt, Nepal, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
More than
389
water operators’ partnerships improved water service delivery, through strengthened capacity under the global Water Operators’ Partnership Alliance.

News and Stories

Featured Stories & Videos

Featured Stories & Videos

Highlighted Publications

Global Report
Global Report on Sanitation and Wastewater Management in Cities and Human Settlements
Global Report
UN World Water Development Report 2022: Groundwater: Making the invisible visible
Global Report
UN World Water Development Report 2021
Toolkits, Manuals and Guides
Climate Proofing Toolkit: For Basic Urban Infrastructure with a Focus on Water and Sanitation
Policy and Strategy
Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance Strategy 2019 - 2023
Technical Report
Progress of wastewater treatment - Piloting the monitoring methodology and initial findings for SDG 6.3.1

Donors and partners

UN-Habitat is part of UN-Water, a body which coordinates the efforts of UN entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues. Each UN agencies brings a unique set of expertise in the water and sanitation sector; UNDP, UNICEF and WHO. Partnerships are key to be successful in our work, we collaborate with various partners; the Private sector like Coca-Cola Foundation, Governments both national and local authorities (water utilities), academia, local communities, Non-Governmental organizations.

Our Experts

Hezekiah O. Pireh
Water and Sanitation unit, Urban Basic Services
Urban Practices Branch, Global Solutions Division