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20/03/15

Global water challenges

A woman carries water from a well in northern Ghana. Between 1990 and 2008, access to safe drinking water in Ghana rose from 56 to 83 per cent. But still more than three million people remain without access. Many of them live in the less-developed north of the country

A woman carries water from a well in northern Ghana. Between 1990 and 2008, access to safe drinking water in Ghana rose from 56 to 83 per cent. But still more than three million people remain without access. Many of them live in the less-developed north of the country

Jon Spaull

A mother waits to collect water from a hole in the ground. This open water source in northern Ghana is also used by livestock and other animals, leading to contaminationon

A mother waits to collect water from a hole in the ground. This open water source in northern Ghana is also used by livestock and other animals, leading to contaminationon

Jon Spaull

A boy with water collected from a well in northern Ghana. Each year, 443 million school days are lost across the developing world due to water-related illnesses, according to the UN

A boy with water collected from a well in northern Ghana. Each year, 443 million school days are lost across the developing world due to water-related illnesses, according to the UN

Jon Spaull

A girl pumps water at a well in northern Ghana. Many children in Africa miss school due to time spent collecting water. Girls are mainly responsible for collecting water for their families

A girl pumps water at a well in northern Ghana. Many children in Africa miss school due to time spent collecting water. Girls are mainly responsible for collecting water for their families

Jon Spaull

Children collect water from a lake. This lake in northern Ghana is also used by cattle, increasing the risk of contamination

Children collect water from a lake. This lake in northern Ghana is also used by cattle, increasing the risk of contamination

Jon Spaull

A woman collecting water from a lake used by cattle, northern Ghana

A woman collecting water from a lake used by cattle, northern Ghana

Jon Spaull

Children wash at a newly installed well in Malawi. In all, 2.4 million Malawians lack access to safe water and 14.3 million — or 90 per cent — lack access to adequate sanitation, according to charity WaterAid

Children wash at a newly installed well in Malawi. In all, 2.4 million Malawians lack access to safe water and 14.3 million — or 90 per cent — lack access to adequate sanitation, according to charity WaterAid

Jon Spaull

Women carry water from a well in Niassa province in north-west Mozambique. Over half the country’s population lack access to a safe water source. On average, women in Africa and Asia must walk six kilometres to collect water. This significantly reduces how long they can dedicate to agriculture and other income generating activities

Women carry water from a well in Niassa province in north-west Mozambique. Over half the country’s population lack access to a safe water source. On average, women in Africa and Asia must walk six kilometres to collect water. This significantly reduces how long they can dedicate to agriculture and other income generating activities

Jon Spaull

Kamla Nehru Nagar slum, Bihar. This state in north-east India is one of the least economically and socially developed in the country. Here, children carry water past an open sewer and a mound of rubbish. In India, 186,000 children die every year from diarrhoea largely caused by unsafe water and sanitation

Kamla Nehru Nagar slum, Bihar. This state in north-east India is one of the least economically and socially developed in the country. Here, children carry water past an open sewer and a mound of rubbish. In India, 186,000 children die every year from diarrhoea largely caused by unsafe water and sanitation

Jon Spaull

A girl crosses a makeshift bridge above an open sewer in the Kamla Nehru Nagar slum, India. The sewer is also used as a toilet and a rubbish dump. Young children have fallen off this bamboo bridge and drowned. Two-thirds of Indians, or 791 million people, lack access to adequate sanitation, according to WaterAid

A girl crosses a makeshift bridge above an open sewer in the Kamla Nehru Nagar slum, India. The sewer is also used as a toilet and a rubbish dump. Young children have fallen off this bamboo bridge and drowned. Two-thirds of Indians, or 791 million people, lack access to adequate sanitation, according to WaterAid

Jon Spaull

A man fills a bottle with drinking water from a pipe that runs through an open sewer in Digha Maharajganj slum, Bihar, India. Such pipes often burst, causing the untreated sewage to contaminate the drinking water

A man fills a bottle with drinking water from a pipe that runs through an open sewer in Digha Maharajganj slum, Bihar, India. Such pipes often burst, causing the untreated sewage to contaminate the drinking water

Jon Spaull

Children and women wash pots by a water pipe in Digha Maharajganj slum, India. The rubbish and waste water mix with the water from the pipe. These people belong to the Dalit ‘rag picking caste’. In Bihar, the caste system is still in evidence today.

Children and women wash pots by a water pipe in Digha Maharajganj slum, India. The rubbish and waste water mix with the water from the pipe. These people belong to the Dalit ‘rag picking caste’. In Bihar, the caste system is still in evidence today.

Jon Spaull

By: Jon Spaull

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Across the globe, 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation. One billion have to defecate in the open, 748 million lack access to improved drinking water and 1.8 billion use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces. These are some of the statistics that highlight the enormity of the challenge facing the world if the draft Sustainable Development Goal of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all is to be achieved by 2030.

Goal 6 includes a 2030 target to “achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations”.

The photographs above, which illustrate some of these issues, were taken in Africa and India by Jon Spaull on assignment for charity WaterAid over the course of several years. They are published to mark World Water Day on 22 March.

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