Our Blue Planet: Water Crisis (i)
Almost 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. It is therefore referred to as ‘the blue planet’.
Our Blue Planet is our experimental infographic series to depict various topics related to water. The water distribution on earth shows that most water in the Earth’s atmosphere and crust comes from the ocean’s saline seawater, while freshwater accounts for less than 3% of the total. 663 million people around the world don’t have access to safe water and 2.4 billion lack access to safe sanitation. In other words, 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water; 1 in 3 people lack access to a toilet. More people have a mobile phone than a toilet. 2 million children a year die for want of safe water and safe sanitation. Diarrhoea is the most important public health problem directly related to water and sanitation. There is gender inequity in terms of the responsibilities, rights and access of water in the African society. Women are seen as the collectors, managers and custodians of water. Girls and women spend nearly 60% of the day collecting this valuable resource, thus depriving them of education and non-household work. Access to clean water can help children to get proper education, get financially independent, and improve their family life.
“You can wipe out
50% of all human diseases just by giving everybody clean water” — Dean Cayman