World Water Day - 22 March

Tags: Important Days

World Water Day is celebrated annually on 22 March 1993, to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater resources.

An Overview of the News

• Approximately 2.2 billion people globally do not have access to safe water, highlighting the urgent need to tackle the global water crisis.

• The United Nations says Asia and the Pacific have the lowest per capita water availability worldwide, with groundwater use projected to increase by 30% by 2050.

• About 40% of irrigation water comes from aquifers, underscoring their important role in agricultural sustainability.

Theme of World Water Day:

• The theme of World Water Day 2024 is 'Water for Peace'.

• The United Nations' World Water Development Report (WWDR) for 2024, which sheds light on this topic.

• Despite changes each year, the central focus of World Water Day remains on issues related to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), in line with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 6.

History of World Water Day:

• The concept of World Water Day originated during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

• Following this resolution, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated 22 March as World Water Day later that year.

• World Water Day is dedicated to emphasizing the importance of water conservation and conservation.

• The day serves as a platform to advocate solutions to tackle the global water crisis.