A new United Nations report has urged governments and international bodies to fundamentally reassess how they address the global water crisis, warning that millions of people continue to be denied safe drinking water despite living close to rivers or aquifers.
The report, released by Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, stresses that the crisis is not simply a problem of scarcity solvable by technology alone, but one deeply rooted in inequality and mismanagement.
Arrojo-Agudo argued that many of those affected are poor and marginalized communities who often live near contaminated water sources but remain excluded from access. He called for a human rights-based approach that prioritises equitable distribution, better governance, and stronger protections for vulnerable groups.
“Billions of people are not just individuals lacking water in their neighborhoods, but communities systematically deprived of their right to safe and clean drinking water,” the report noted.
Analysts say the UN’s call comes amid mounting global challenges, with climate change intensifying droughts and floods, urbanisation placing additional strain on water systems, and pollution further threatening supply. The report adds momentum to international debates ahead of upcoming climate and development summits, where water security is expected to feature prominently.
–Input WAM
