World Health Organisation (WHO)
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the UN specialized agency on health. WHO monitors global progress on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) through estimates of global burden of WASH- related disease, monitoring of progress under the SDGs on WASH in households, schools and health facilities, wastewater treatment and the enabling environment for WASH service delivery.
WHO supports progress on WASH though development of rigorous evidence-based global guidelines on drinking-water quality, sanitation and health, safe use of wastewater in agriculture and aquiculture, and safe recreational water environments and supports capacity development for guideline implementation at country level through 6 regional offices and 147 country offices. WHO also works with the health sector to ensure that WASH is coordinated and incorporated in health programme delivery wherever WASH plays a role in primary prevention or health service delivery with a focus on; WASH in health facilities, emergencies and cholera control, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance and health impacts of climate change. Further details is available in the WHO Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy 2018-25.
Support for climate resilient water supply and sanitation service
WHO's primary SDG6 cross-cutting work is on guidance and implementation support for climate resilient water supply and sanitation services.
In addition, WHO engages in cross cutting work with health sector programmes to support global monitoring and progress towards SDG 3 on health. Key activities include monitoring of SDG3.9.2 on WASH-related disease and supporting implementation of the UN-Secretary General’s Call to Action of WASH in Health Facilities. In addition, WHO collaborates on WASH across the health sector for emergencies and cholera control, neglected tropical diseases (especially soil transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis control), antimicrobial resistance and polio containment.
The UN Permanent Representatives of Hungary and the Philippines, in cooperation with WHO, have launched the ‘UN Group of Friends in Support of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Health Care Facilities’. The launch event in December was joined by UN Missions from across the globe, and included statemen … Read more
The Compendium is a comprehensive collection of available World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN guidance for improving health by creating healthier environments. It covers a broad range of areas such as air pollution, water, sanitation and hygiene, climate change, chemicals, radiation, or foo … Read more
To mark World Toilet Day 2021, a special event is taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 19 November. The President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed will open proceedings, highlighting the importance of tackling the glob … Read more
At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, a multimedia Water Pavilion is hosted between 1 – 12 November 2021. The Water Pavilion programme offers a wide-ranging and inclusive series of events demonstrating the numerous ways that water is enabling transformative climate action – at all … Read more
All households in the world’s 46 least developed countries could have handwashing facilities by 2030 if the world invested less than US$1 per person per year, in hand hygiene, according to the 2021 State of the World’s Hand Hygiene report launched on – Global Handwashing Day – by WHO and UNICEF. Thi … Read more
