Globally, 844 million people lack access to clean water, which means that more than 1 of every 10 people on the planet are affected by the global water crisis. Let’s break this topic down — in photos and videos.

People are struggling to access the quantity and quality of water they need for drinking, cooking, bathing, handwashing, and growing their food.

Every day, nearly 1,000 children under age 5 die from diarrhea attributed to poor water and sanitation.

2.3 billion people live without access to basic sanitation.

892 million people defecate in the open.

The United Nations recognizes the importance of addressing the global water crisis each year on World Water Day, March 22.

But women and children who daily walk for water deserve to be remembered every day of the year.


Women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours hauling water every day.

World Vision is the leading nongovernmental provider of clean drinking water in the developing world.
World Vision is reaching one new person every 10 seconds and three more schools every day with clean water.

World Vision partners with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, to help protect children from illness caused by dirty water and poor sanitation.
World Vision focuses on bringing clean water to the extremely poor — including those with disabilities — in rural areas with the greatest disease burden.

An independent study showed that nearly 80% of wells drilled by World Vision continued to function at high levels even after 20 years, thanks largely to our community engagement model.

By providing hygiene education and sanitation facilities, such as latrines and hand-washing stations, we multiply the health benefits of clean water by helping to reduce the spread of illness and disease.

More than 700 World Vision water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) professionals and thousands of development professionals live and work in communities worldwide to co-create solutions that last.

