The benefits of access to water, sanitation and hygiene cannot be underestimated. Satisfying the physical need for a safe drinking water source is the most immediate advantage of gaining access.
Essential, too, is access to adequate sanitation and good hygiene practices. Access to water, sanitation and hygiene are interconnected and are also essential for achieving other development goals, including the
- elimination of poverty and hunger,
- reduction of inequalities and
- good health and well-being.
It also has profound wider socio-economic impacts, particularly for women and girls.
Nearly every one of the other goals rely in some way on Water, sanitation and hygiene. Critically, the United Nations General Assembly recognizes access to safe water and sanitation as human rights.
SDG 6 seeks to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all, focusing on the sustainable management of water resources, wastewater and ecosystems, and acknowledging the importance of an enabling environment. In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, countries have committed to engage in systematic follow-up and review of progress towards the Goals and targets, using a set of global indicators.
UN Water provides a detailed picture of progress against SDG 6 by country
