Water is at the heart of all things. It gives life to people and communities, it is the foundation of our natural world, and it powers our economies. So, as we celebrate World Water Day and the second World Day for Glaciers, let us remember the indispensable role water plays in our world. And let us pledge to do more to protect it.
This year’s theme — “Where water flows, equality grows” — reflects a simple truth: access to safe and reliable water supports healthier societies, stronger economies and greater opportunities for all.
Yet the global water crisis affects people unequally. When people are denied the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, inequalities multiply, with women and girls often bearing the brunt. According to the UN, around 1.1 billion women and girls still lack access to safe drinking water. Globally, two out of every five people lack safely managed sanitation.
A stable water cycle is essential for public health, food and energy security, biodiversity and overall quality of life. However, climate change, unsustainable water use, and pollution are putting water security at risk. More frequent droughts and floods, glacier loss and shifting rainfall patterns intensify these pressures.
Water is increasingly caught up in geopolitical tensions and conflicts. Essential water infrastructure has been deliberately targeted in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East and beyond. This must stop. Protecting water in conflict zones is essential under international humanitarian law. Depriving millions of people of safe water and sanitation threatens stability, feeds insecurity, and damages long-term prospects for peace and economic resilience.
In a world with a broken water cycle, everybody pays a price; from individual farmers to the largest industry, from our forests and soils to our food and energy security, and from our urban areas to our rural communities.
Inclusive decision-making, collaboration and multilateral action are the keys to an effective response. When women and girls have an equal voice in water governance, services become more sustainable, effective and equitable. Investing in women’s leadership makes water a driver of health, prosperity and gender equality, rather than a detractor.
The EU is committed to this effort. We will continue to advocate for safe, dignified and inclusive access to water, sanitation and hygiene, especially for women, girls and other vulnerable groups.
We will also deepen our collaboration with our Member States and global partners towards effective global water governance and an ambitious outcome at the 2026 UN Water Conference.
Through the EU Water Resilience Strategy, we are stepping up action to protect freshwater ecosystems, improve water efficiency and accelerate innovation and investment in sustainable water management. And under the Global Gateway, the EU aims to help at least 70 million people worldwide to access improved drinking water or sanitation by 2030.
Together, we can strengthen water resilience and make safe and affordable water a reality rather than a distant aspiration or a broken promise. And we can ensure that water is the platform for sustainable development, gender equality, economic resilience and long-term stability for all.
