By Nikunja Bihari Sahu
Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink, writes Samuel Coleridge in his ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariners’ as the ship of the ancient mariner sailed from the land of mist and snow and treaded into the calm, uncharted waters of the equator, haunted by an evil spirit. He tried to describe a situation where enough water abounds in the surroundings, but is unfit to produce any tangible human benefit. However, this mystical scenario is fast going to be a reality now!
Although our Earth is called the Water planet, the stock of fresh water on Earth fit for human consumption is very limited. This is due to the fact that around 97% of water on Earth is located in seas and oceans which is salty and not suitable for human use. The remaining 2.5% is fresh water, out of which a major portion (around 68%) is located in ice caps and glaciers and 30% is underground which is again beyond the reach of humans. Only 0.3% of fresh water flows in rivers and lakes which is available for human consumption. Hence, there is a great need for conserving water on our planet by minimising its wastage and optimising its prudent use. Water is a unique liquid of nature in the sense that it is the only liquid that can exist in all its three different forms in Earth’s temperature ranges.
However, in recent times, due to man’s nature-unfriendly activities, a situation of acute water crisis has arisen on our planet. Effluents released from industries and biological wastes of cities into rivers and lakes pollute water sources, leading to a drinking water crisis. The holy river Ganges, known since mythological times for its clean and rejuvenating flow, has become one of the ten most polluted rivers of the world due to the activities of people living near its banks. Similarly, in Odisha, another sacred river, named Brahmani, has lost its sacredness due to the pollutants released from nearby industries.
According to an estimate of the United Nations, there is a minimum need of nearly 50 litres of water (or 2.5 buckets) daily per head for leading a healthy life. However, it is a matter of grave concern that millions of people living in rural areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America are deprived of this minimum necessity of water. Access to clean drinking water is considered to be a basic human right.
The theme for World Water Day 2026 (March 22) campaign is ‘Water and Gender – Where water flows, equality grows’. It emphasises the crucial role of women in water management, advocating for their equal representation in the decision-making process, underscoring the need for their secure access to water. However, globally, more than 1 billion women, more than a quarter of all women, lack access to safely managed drinking water services. Among them, an estimated 205 million women drink water from unimproved sources or surface water. Nearly 380 million women and girls, or 9% of the world’s total female population, live with high or critical water stress, a number projected to increase to 674 million in 33 countries by 2050. About 156 million girls aged 10–19 still lack access to basic hygiene services globally, compromising their health, dignity, and education. Globally, an estimated 1.5 billion women and girls live in countries facing high or very high exposure to droughts.
Given the dismal scenario as such, we must invest in women’s leadership to make water a force for a healthier, more prosperous, gender-equal future. As the world navigates the labyrinthine complexities of climate change, gender inequality and economic disparity, the role of women in shaping a resilient future emerges as a beacon of hope. In this context, the need for empowering women to have an equitable and rightful access to a very important natural resource of nature like water is imperative for humanity’s transformative and sustainable future.
The writer is Education Officer, Regional Science Centre, Bhopal.