Emerging Women

More people die from polluted water every year than from all forms of violence, including war, the United Nations said in a report yesterday that highlights the need for clean drinking water.

The report, launched to coincide with World Water Day, said an estimated two billion tons of waste water – including fertilizer run-off, sewage, and industrial waste – was being discharged daily. That waste fuels the spread of disease and damages ecosystems.

The report said 3.7 percent of all deaths were attributed to water-related diseases, translating into millions of deaths. More than half of the world’s hospital beds are filled by people suffering from water-related illnesses.

Clean water is essential for life, but one in eight of the world’s population does not have access to it. This, and lack of safe sanitation, result in 1.4 million children dying from water-related diseases every year.

The lack of clean water means millions of women and children spend hours each day searching for water and carrying it home. This exhausting task can cause damage to their heads, necks and spines, and leaves them with little time for productive work or education.

What We Can Do –

• Participate in the UNICEF Tap Project -
  In 2007, the UNICEF Tap Project was born in New York City based on a simple concept: restaurants would ask their patrons to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually enjoy for free, and all funds raised would support UNICEF’s efforts to bring clean and accessible water to millions of children around the world.

  Growing from just 300 New York City restaurants in 2007 to thousands across the country today, the UNICEF Tap Project has quickly become a powerful national movement.

  During World Water Week, March 21-27, 2010, the UNICEF Tap Project will once again raise awareness of the world water crisis and vital funds to help the millions of children it impacts daily. All funds raised support UNICEF’s water, sanitation and hygiene programs, and the effort to bring clean and accessible water to millions of children around the world.

• Donate your status for World Water Week
  To help raise awareness, when you donate your status, they’ll tweet on Twitter and/or update your Facebook status every day during World Water Week—Monday, March 22 through Friday, March 26. You have the option to opt-out at any time.

  If you choose, they’ll also add a blue tint to your Twitter avatar. On Facebook, we’ll upload a new photo so you can make it your profile pic. At the end of the week, you can change these back or leave them up to show your support for clean water.

  Each day the posts will feature either: a water crisis fact, a story about people who have received access to clean water, events to celebrate, or a call for action. All updates have a link back to oneweekforwater.org to help spread the word.

  This site is about celebrating the progress that’s been made in the global water crisis—and calling for continued action. Over the past 10 years, 200 million people gained access to clean water, but 890 million people still need it—and more than 2.5 billion people lack access to safe sanitation.

• Support a Water Ministry
  • Living Water International – Living Water International exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water, and to experience “living water”—the gospel of Jesus Christ—which alone satisfies the deepest thirst.
  • Charity: Water – a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects.
  • 100 Wells Campaign – 100,000 people in Jaac, Sudan need clean water to survive. The devastating genocide in Darfur has forced refugees to resettle in rural desert areas like Jaac—desert areas where clean water simply doesn’t exist. Our goal is to build 100 wells to serve this community.
  • blood:water mission – a grassroots organization that empowers communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crisis.