UN Cyberschoolbus: Freshwater 2003

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

Hello, I'm Nane Annan. I want to talk to you about water because it is so important in our lives and because the United Nations has declared that 2003 will be the International Year of Freshwater. We cannot live without water. That is why we have to make sure that everyone can get clean drinking water no matter where they live.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

Many of us don't even think about where our water comes from as we brush our teeth or wash our face in the bathroom each morning.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

But one billion people have no clean water to drink -- that is one out of every six persons here on earth. And more than 2 billion people, almost half of the world's population, have no toilet to use.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

Many people have to walk for hours each day to find the closest water pump or water well.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

Usually it is the women who have to carry the water, like this girl in Sierra Leone walking through a cassava field with a jerrycan of water on her head.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

Even very small girls sometimes have to carry water instead of going to school.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

Although fresh water can be found all around the world most of it is either frozen in the polar ice caps, mixed in the soil or deep underground. In fact, less than 1 percent of the world's fresh water is available to be used. That is why we need to take care of it!

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

The UN is busy bringing water to villages and cities. Here are a couple of men working on a UN project that is helping to improve the delivery of water in Lachi, Pakistan.

Visit the World of the UN with Nane Annan

International Year of Freshwater 2003

The leaders of the world promised to make sure another 1.5 billion people will have access to safe drinking water by the year 2015. You can go to Millennium Development Goals to check the progress so far.