The International Development Committee is to examine the importance of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to a country’s development, during a crisis, and for refugees. This spotlight session comes ahead of the international 2023 Water Conference in March, hosted by the United Nations General Assembly.
MPs will examine how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is supporting this work in its aid programming and explore actions to ensure support for those who need it most.
- One quarter of the world’s population went without safely managed drinking water services in 2020. More than one quarter went without access to handwashing facilities with soap at water at home.
- From 2015 to 2020, the population practising open defecation decreased by a third, putting the world on track to eliminate open defecation by 2030.
- Although the percentage of the global population using safely managed sanitation services increased from 47 per cent to 54 per cent – 2.8 billion people are still likely to be without access to safe sanitation by 2030.
Meeting details
Reductions in UK aid spending since 2020 have impacted WASH programmes. The Committee will hear directly from ActionAid, WaterAid, Oxfam and Water Witness International, whose executive director Nick Hepworth (a witness) has accused the UK Government of holding “some responsibility” for a cholera outbreak in Malawi that has killed more than 700 people following aid cuts to water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The United Nations has stated that universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is critical to development. The availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030 is the aim of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Coinciding with World Water Day on 22 March 2023, a UN Water Conference will take place in New York, calling for national governments and stakeholders, including the UK, to make clear commitments, pledges and actions to a redefined Water Action agenda.