March 22, 2011
Access to clean water and basic sanitation is fundamental to human health and sustainable development. Without reliable sources of water, people struggle to survive and grow the food they need to feed their families.
Today, 886 million people still lack access to clean water. However, this is only a part of the global water challenge. Currently, 2.5 billion people, including almost one billion children, lack access to basic sanitation. This causes suffering in families due to illness, diminished energy, and time lost from school and work.
Our Government, through CIDA, presently supports a significant number of water and sanitation projects worldwide, many of which reach out to young children, who are most vulnerable to water and sanitation-related diseases.
On this World Water Day, I ask you to remember those who still lack access to these invaluable resources around the world.
Hon. Beverley J. Oda
Minister of International Cooperation
