..But in refugee camps the glass can be half empty.
Water is everywhere. It is a vital element for the world’s survival. The Sustainable Development Goal 6 outlines that we should ensure access to water and sanitation for all and it is a core pillar of energy and food production as well as of human survival. In fact, extreme poverty and diseases cannot be fully eliminated without access to clean water which can ensure sanitation and hygiene. However, access to clean water remains a critical challenge in several areas around the world, particularly within refugee camps.
Water: a basic human right
“It is high time to consider access to safe drinking water and sanitation services within the realm of human rights, defined as the equal right for all, without discrimination, to access to sufficient potable water for personal and domestic use – for drinking, washing, clothing, cooking and cleaning oneself and one’s home – for the purpose of improving one’s quality of life and health.” This is what the 2010 UN General Assembly Resolution (No. 10967) reports, officially recognizing access to clean water as a human right, in conjunction with the right to hygiene. The July 28, 2010 UN resolution declares for the first time in history the right to water “a universal and fundamental human right” and encourages additional resources and efforts to ensure access to water in all countries.
Between expectations and reality: data at hand
There is a vast gap between theory and practice. In fact, the reality surrounding access to clean water and sanitation is a worrying one. More than 1 in 4 people have no access to clean water and nearly half of the world’s population has not safely managed adequate sanitation, and has been forced to live without it. Over 2 billion people do not have running water and soap to even wash their hands in their homes, thus hampering the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases.
Particularly within refugee camps, where there are millions of people suffering from a lack of access to clean water, the consequences are disastrous. Refugee camps often do not have enough water to supply all the refugees residing there, and most refugee camps around the world are unable to provide the recommended daily minimum of 20 litres of water a day per person, as established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In addition, many refugee-hosting countries are water-poor.
Lebanon, for example, prior to hosting a great deal of refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict, already faced water-stress in its territory due to post-civil war population expansion and lack of adequate water policies. These circumstances greatly impacted access to clean water and sanitation in refugee camps.
Causes and consequences
Poor water quality in refugee camps has led to the outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. Indeed, water access and water quantity improve health, as water is not only needed for direct consumption or cooking but also for hygiene, directly related to health. In fact, cholera transmission is strictly linked to inadequate access to clean water as well as sanitation facilities. Refugee camps are particularly at risk due to minimum requirements of clean water and sanitation not being met, largely due to overcrowding and poor camp infrastructure.
In Yemen, the lack of water infrastructure and lack of sanitation facilities and hospitals, destroyed by bombing and overland fighting, has spawned the worst cholera epidemic in recent history, which is still ongoing. With nearly 18 million men, women, and children lacking access to safe water sources and basic health care, since mid-2017, more than 1.3 million people have been infected and some 2760 people have died, from a disease that is entirely preventable and treatable. In Syria, as of 2021, only 50% water and sanitation systems function correctly across the country. Entire communities and neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble by the fighting in recent years in major cities, and are therefore either without sanitation or have running water and electricity for very few hours a day. In this context, the possibility of contracting diseases such as scabies, cholera and typhoid increases exponentially.
It is not yet water under the bridge: time to act
There are several programs by international bodies aimed at ensuring clean drinking water and efficient sanitation services for all. The Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is a CDC program designed to improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene practices. Ultimately, the goal is to find long-term solutions that reduce poverty and improve health and socioeconomic development for all. WASH has impacted countless refugee camps and improved the water crisis for many. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development details several plausible and lasting solutions to address and end the water crisis, particularly by initiating and protecting policies that support universal and inclusive water services. It also includes recommendations for governments and international agencies to strengthen water governance in correlation with migration.
The refugee water crisis threatens the lives of all migrants who are already fleeing dangerous realities. The continued efforts of WASH, government agencies, and humanitarian organizations are critical to ending this water crisis.
If you are interested in finding out more about what MOAS does in refugee camps for Disaster Risk Reduction, read here !