The State of Water: 2024 GHRC Annual Report
- Directorate of Advocacy & Public Affairs
- Oct 22, 2024
- 4 min read
Water is the foundation of life, a critical resource on which all human and ecological systems depend. However, in 2024, the world faces an unprecedented water crisis that is deepening inequalities, undermining public health, and heightening global conflict. This State of Water report by the Global Human Rights Commission (GHRC) sheds light on the most pressing water challenges of the year and proposes actionable strategies to address them. The annual report will serve as a benchmark for tracking progress and advocating for sustainable solutions worldwide.
Water Scarcity: A Global Emergency
In 2024, over 2.2 billion people are living without access to safely managed drinking water, while 3.5 billion lack adequate sanitation. These figures represent more than just a developmental shortfall—they illustrate a profound human rights crisis that deprives entire populations of dignity and health.
Without clean water and proper sanitation, the very survival of communities is at risk. Waterborne diseases remain rampant, and food insecurity intensifies as agricultural systems falter under water stress.
Particularly vulnerable are low-income regions, such as parts of Africa and South Asia, where climate change exacerbates already strained water supplies. In these areas, children are especially at risk, with their health and future prospects imperiled by inadequate water access
UN-Water
Water as a Catalyst for Conflict and Displacement
As water scarcity intensifies, so do geopolitical tensions. In many regions, water is not only a vital resource but a contested one. Transboundary water sources—like the Nile, Mekong, and Jordan River basins—are becoming flashpoints for conflict. Water stress is directly linked to increased migration, with people fleeing areas where basic water needs cannot be met.
These displaced populations often encounter new struggles in water-scarce host regions, compounding social and political tensions.
The 2024 report stresses the need for international cooperation and the development of transboundary agreements to avert conflict. The absence of such cooperation threatens peace and stability in many regions, especially where water resources cross national borders.
Climate Change: Accelerating the Crisis
Water is where the climate crisis hits hardest. Rising global temperatures, increasingly erratic rainfall, and prolonged droughts are disrupting water cycles around the globe. In 2024, half the world’s population experienced severe water scarcity at least part of the year, and one-quarter faced extreme water stress, where over 80% of available freshwater was consumed
The implications are dire. From agriculture to industry, every economic sector relies on water. As water availability becomes unpredictable, so too does food security, energy production, and economic stability. The report calls for urgent investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure, alongside nature-based solutions like wetland restoration, to help mitigate these impacts.
The Gendered Impact of Water Scarcity
This report also highlights the disproportionate burden placed on women and girls in water-stressed regions. In many rural communities, women bear the responsibility for collecting water, often walking miles each day. This task, while essential for their families' survival, steals hours from education, employment, and personal safety. In regions with heightened water scarcity, girls are more likely to drop out of school, creating a vicious cycle of poverty and disempowerment.
Ensuring that communities have reliable access to clean water not only improves public health but also has profound gender equity benefits. It empowers women and girls to reclaim time for education and economic opportunities, thereby uplifting entire communities.
The Urgent Need for Global Cooperation and Action
While some regions have made significant strides in water management, overall global efforts to secure water for all are woefully inadequate. Achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6—ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all—requires immediate, bold action.
The GHRC report recommends several key strategies:
Increased Investments: Governments and the private sector must significantly boost funding for water infrastructure, particularly in low-income and water-stressed regions.
Enhanced International Cooperation: Transboundary water management requires collaboration. Robust treaties, shared water data, and conflict-resolution mechanisms are critical to preventing water wars.
Innovative Solutions: Embracing technology-driven water management—such as smart irrigation, desalination, and water reuse technologies—offers a path forward. Coupling these with nature-based solutions like reforestation and wetland restoration can help build climate resilience.
Comprehensive Data Sharing: Better global coordination of hydrological data is needed to manage water sustainably. The World Meteorological Organization’s Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS) is a step toward achieving this goal by enhancing global monitoring and improving predictive capacity
Conclusion: Water at the Crossroads of Human Rights and Survival
The State of Water: 2024 GHRC Annual Report underscores the gravity of the global water crisis. With billions lacking basic access, and climate change amplifying the challenges, water scarcity is rapidly becoming the most urgent human rights and developmental issue of our time. Immediate and coordinated action is required to prevent further degradation of global water systems, which would otherwise have cascading effects on public health, food security, migration, and conflict.
By investing in sustainable solutions and ensuring that water remains a shared resource, the international community can avert a future of widespread water-related conflicts and secure a more equitable and stable world.
Sources
UNESCO, UN World Water Development Report 2024: Water for Prosperity and Peace. UN Water
World Meteorological Organization, State of Global Water Resources Report 2023. WMO
World Meteorological Organization
UNESCO, Water Crises Threaten World Peace (March 2024). UNESCO
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