The Forgotten Killer

Poor water, sanitation and hygiene is the world's forgotten issue. It is the second biggest killer of children, taking the lives of 5,000 across the globe each day. At any given time, almost half the populations of the developing world suffer from diseases associated with inadequate water and sanitation. One in every two girls who drop out of primary school in Africa do so because they must walk long distances to collect drinking water or because the school has no toilet. Across the world, a lack of sanitation leaves girls vulnerable to attack, sexual assault and HIV transmission. It is predicted that the UN will miss by decades its 2015 target to halve the proportion of people without access to these basic necessities. [TEARFUND]

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