Water and sanitation
COVER STORY
percent of the population in urban areas are almost six times more likely to rely on an unimproved drinking water source than the richest 20 percent. In urban areas, the poorest households are 12 times less likely than the richest households to enjoy the convenience and associated health benefits of having a piped drinking water supply on premises.
However, despite the significant progress made towards drinking water targets, the world is far from meeting the sanitation target. In fact, at the current rate of progress, the report says it will take until 2049 to provide 77 percent of the global population with flush toilets and other forms of improved sanitation. Almost half the population of developing regions and some 2.6 billion people globally were not using an improved form of sanitation in 2008. That year, an estimated 1.1 billion people did not use any facility at all and practised open defecation, which poses enormous health risks, particularly for poorer segments of the population who are most exposed to the dangers of inadequate human waste disposal. Globally, open defecation rates have declined by one third, from 25 percent of the population in 1990 to 17 percent in 2008. Almost two thirds of the people who practise open defecation reside in Southern Asia. Northern Africa is the only region that has already surpassed the MDG sanitation target, increasing coverage from 72 percent in 1990 to 89 percent in 2008. The International Year of Sanitation in 2008 gave much needed impetus to the debate on sanitation. And in various regions, yearly sanitation conferences are held to ensure that sanitation remains on the political agenda and receives the attention it deserves. Rural populations everywhere are disadvantaged when it comes to improved sanitation, though disparities with urban areas are decreasing in all regions. Globally, an urban resident is 1.7 times more likely to use an improved sanitation facility than someone living in a rural area. Inequalities are most stark in Southern Asia, where an urban resident is 2.2 times more likely to use an improved facility than a rural resident. Still, this represents significant improvement since 1990, when an urban resident was 4.3 times more likely to use an improved sanitation facility than a person living in a rural area.
08
Proportion of population using different sources of water, 1990 and 2008 (Percentage) 100
14 28
80
50
December 2011
51
25
54
55 34
0
16
17
14
10
14
8
8
8
9
12
28
16
Southern Asia
4.3
14
35
2.2
33
Latin America & the Caribbean
53
78
80
82
84
55
2.1
72
58
39 21
COVER STORY
Urban/rural ratio of the proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility, 1990 and 2008
13
28 35
7
15
64
56
15
6
83
33 19
11
44
20 22
12 31
32 53
31
12
13
40
60 40 29
Sanitation
Water and sanitation
1.6
49
Sub-Saharan Africa
23
2.0 1.8
1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008 1990 2008
Oceania
SubSaharan Africa
SouthEastern Asia
Southern Caucasus & Eastern Asia Central Asia Asia
Piped water on premises
Western Asia
Northern Africa
Latin Developing America regions & the Caribbean
Other improved sources
Unimproved sources
South-Eastern Asia
1.9 1.3 Photo Š UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations
Oceania
1.8
An examination of trends over the period 1995-2008 for three countries in Southern Asia shows that improvements in sanitation have disproportionately benefited the wealthy. Sanitation coverage for the poorest 40 percent of households has hardly increased, and four out of five people in the bottom two quintiles continue to practise open defecation. The most progress was made by those in the fourth wealthiest quintile, while the richest 20 percent of the population has maintained its very high coverage level.
While significant progress has been made regarding potable water goals, with Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia already meeting the Millennium Development Goals drinking water target, sanitation remains a very pressing issue. Swift acceleration of progress is needed to bring improved sanitation to the people who are living without adequate facilities, with all its attendant consequences for the health of communities and the local environment. At the present rate of progress, the 2015 sanitation target will be missed.
1.8
“Between now and 2015, we must make sure that promises made become promises kept. The people of the world are watching. Too many of them are anxious, angry and hurting. They fear for their jobs, their families, their futures. World leaders must show not only that they care, but that they have the courage and conviction to act.�
Western Asia
1.8 1.4 Northern Africa
1.7
Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations
1.1 Eastern Asia
1.4 1.2
Proportion of population using different sources of water by wealth quintile, rural and urban areas, sub-Saharan Africa, 2004/2009 (Percentage) Urban areas 100 20
80
12
8
6
100
100 18
32
32
80 65
53
53
56
46
80 60
40
0
59
62
20
20
39 5 Poorest 20%
Second 20%
26
35
46
44
0 Middle 20%
Piped water on premises
86
94
60
Fourth 20%
Richest 20%
Poorest 20%
Other improved sources
Second 20%
51
56
60
62
16
1.1 1.0
64
40
Caucasus & Central Asia
Rural areas
35
60
Proportion of population by sanitation practices and wealth quintile, Southern Asia, 1995 and 2008 (Percentage)
87
74
1
2
9
Middle 20%
Fourth 20%
Richest 20%
Unimproved sources
0
8 4 2
7
1995 Poorest 20%
2008
Open defecation
5 8 1995 Second 20%
18 2008
Developing regions
2.2 1.7 Developed regions 93
94
76
8
7
4
77
40 20
2
6
4
52
6 1
4
45
36
Unimproved
2008
1995 Fourth 20%
Improved
1990
1.1
2008
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 Rural populations at a disadvantage
19 1995 Middle 20%
1.1
2008
1995 Richest 20%
4.0
2008
Graphs source: United Nations
December 2011
09