WHO/UNICEF Progress Report on Sanitation & Drinking Water
Some 2.4 billion people will remain without access to improved sanitation in 2015, according to a new joint WHO/UNICEF report.According to the report, the world remains off track to meet the Millennium Development goal (MDg) sanitation target.
Key findings
Among the key findings from the latest 2011 data, the report highlights:
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of the world’s population had access to improved sanitation facilities, an increase of almost 1.9 billion people since 1990.
- Approximately 2.5 billion people lacked access to an improved sanitation facility. Of these, 761 million use public or shared sanitation facilities and 693 million use facilities that do not meet minimum standards of hygiene.
- In 2011, one billion people still defecated in the open. 90% of all open defecation takes place in rural areas.
- By the end of 2011, 89% of the world population used an improved drinking-water source, and 55% had a piped supply on premises. This left an estimated 768 million people without improved sources for drinking water, of whom 185 million relied on surface water for their daily needs.
- There continues to be a striking disparity between those living in rural areas and those who live in cities. Urban dwellers make up three-quarters of those with access to piped water supplies at home. Rural communities comprise 83% of the global population without access to improved drinking water source and 71 per cent of those living without sanitation.
The report titled Progress on sanitation and drinking-water 2013 update is available here in english.
Resources
NEPAD at 10!
From 15 to 19 October 2012, the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) organized its annual The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) week. The main focus of the week was the crucial role of infrastructure in unleashing Africa’s sustainable growth.
Three publications were also launched on 16 October 2012:
- “Africa’s Decade of Change” by NEPAD Agency, OSAA, and UNECA;
- “Assessing Progress in Africa toward the MDGs 2012” by UNECA, the African Union, African Development Bank and UNDP and
- “2012 Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness (MRDE)” by UNECA/OECD.
MDG Gap Task Force Report 2012
The Secretary-General launched the 2012 MDG Gap Task Force Report at UN Headquarters in New York yesterday, 20 September. In his address, he notes that “It is clear that we need a stronger global partnership to achieve the MDGs by the 2015 deadline.”
The Task Force Report, issued ahead of the annual high-level General Assembly meetings next week, notes that after reaching a peak in 2010, the volume of official development assistance fell almost three per cent in 2011.
It warns that with no apparent commitment by donor governments to reverse the trend, it is possible that fewer of the MDGs will be reached in fewer countries by the 2015 deadline.
According to the Report, to meet the UN target of 0.7 per cent of donor country gross national income, total overseas development assistance (ODA) should more than double to about $300 billion (in 2011 dollars), thus leaving a delivery gap of $167 billion against that commitment. Least developed countries should receive about one-fourth of this amount.
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012
Three important targets on poverty, slums and water have been met three years ahead of 2015, says this year’s Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Meeting the remaining targets, while challenging, is possible ─ but only if Governments do not waiver from their commitments made over a decade ago.
The report is available fulltext PDF in English and fulltext PDF in french
Trends in Maternal Mortality
“I am very pleased to see that the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth continues to decline. This shows that the enhanced effort of countries, supported by UNFPA and other development partners, is paying off. But we can’t stop here. Our work must continue to make every pregnancy wanted and every childbirth safe.”
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA
Released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2010 confirms that the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth is declining. From 1990 to 2010, the annual number of maternal deaths dropped from more than 543,000 to 287,000 – a decline of 47 per cent.
The report also highlights:
- In 2010, the global maternal mortality ratio was 210 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest maternal mortality ratio at 500 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
- In sub-Saharan Africa, a woman faces a 1 in 39 lifetime risk of dying due to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. In South-eastern Asia the risk is 1 in 290 and in developed countries, it is 1 in 3,800.
- Ten countries have 60 per cent of the global maternal deaths: India (56,000), Nigeria (40,000), Democratic Republic of the Congo (15,000), Pakistan (12,000), Sudan (10,000), Indonesia (9,600), Ethiopia (9,000), United Republic of Tanzania (8,500), Bangladesh (7,200) and Afghanistan (6,400).
- Ten countries have already reached the MDG target of a 75 per cent reduction in maternal death: Belarus, Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Iran, Lithuania, Maldives, Nepal, Romania and Viet Nam.
Resources:
- Millennium Development Goal 5 : Improve maternal health
- UNFPA Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990-2008
- UNFPA Maternal Mortality in 1995 - 2002 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006
- UNFPA publications on safe motherhood
- World Health Organization publications on maternal health and new born health
- UN reports on maternal mortality
Progress on drinking water and sanitation 2012
MDG drinking-water target was met in 2010, five years ahead of schedule!
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports every two years on progress towards the drinking-water and sanitation target under Millennium Development Goal 7.
Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation reveals that, at the end of 2010, 89 per cent of the world’s population used improved drinking water sources, meeting the target. By 2015, an estimated 92 per cent of the global population will have access to improved drinking water.
However, serious challenge remain. The report also indicates that the world is far from meeting the MDG target for sanitation – and is unlikely to do so by 2015.
Documents:
Comic book on UN anti-poverty goals
Children enjoying the launch of the new comic book “Score the Goals” at the United Nations in Geneva
A comic book produced by the United Nations to raise awareness and to educate children around the world about the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was awarded with a prize at an awards ceremony in Monaco.
The book, Score the Goals: Teaming Up to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals, is primarily aimed at children between the ages of eight and 14,and is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, German and Korean.
New Report from the SG on Millennium Development Goals
A new report from the UN Secretary-General titled “ Realization of the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals for persons with disabilities” (A/66/128) has been published.
The report reflects the UN’s ongoing efforts to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted as part of the UN’s Millennium Declaration in 2000 (A/RES/55/2).
The eight goals the UN has focused on are:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
UN Resources for Millennium Development Goals
- Millennium Development Goals Report 2011 (pdf)
- Secretary-General reports
- General Assembly resolutions
- UN Statistics Division Millennium Development Goals Indicators
