Universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a fundamental need and a human right. Both are necessary to ensure good hygiene and health. Securing access for all would go a long way in reducing illness and death, especially among young children.
The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) has monitored the use of drinking water and sanitation facilities worldwide since 1990. The latest JMP report, looking back on 25 years of water, sanitation and hygiene monitoring, provides a comprehensive assessment of progress since 1990. The MDG target for drinking water was achieved in 2010 but the world has missed the sanitation target by almost 700 million people. In 2015, 663 million people still lack improved drinking water sources, 2.4 billion lack improved sanitation facilities and 946 million still practice open defecation.
