More than 600 million Africans still lack access to safe sanitation. This will ultimately determine the well-being of the continent.
OF THE 1.2 billion inhabitants in Africa, more than 600 million lack access to safe sanitation. It is a serious problem as the lack of it affects the level of education, economic development and the overall health and well-being of people. The immediate casualties are children under five years. Besides, the discomfort associated with poor sanitation access and its impact on malnourishment is hard to imagine. Economically, lack of sanitation has a direct impact on the gross domestic product. The World Health Organization says millions of schooldays are lost due to poor sanitation in Africa and other parts of the developing and underdeveloped world.
Thus, there is an obligation for the world as well as for Africa to unite to tackle the bottlenecks in improved sanitation access. This is an urgent call for action, given that the continent has made the least progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on sanitation. For Africa to make any significant progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 6 on sanitation by 2030, countries must adopt a new approach. Goal 6 states that access to safe water and sanitation and sound management of freshwater ecosystems are essential to human health, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.
ON THE PATH OF COMMITMENT
Esta historia es de la edición August 16, 2018 de Down To Earth.
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Esta historia es de la edición August 16, 2018 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
