A new UN analysis has found that 190 million children in 10 African countries are at high risk due to the convergence of three water-related threats.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said the threats are inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, related diseases, and climate hazards.
According to the UN organization, these threats are severe in Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Somalia. This is because West and Central Africa are one of the regions of the world most affected by water insecurity and climate change.
Thus, the countries most affected by these problems are particularly in the Sahel and are faced with instability and armed conflict, which further hinder children’s access to water and sanitation.
The Director of Programs at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Sanjay Wijesekera, quoted in the analysis, stressed that Africa is facing a water catastrophe and a combination of dangerous risks for children.