image: World Water Day - Background | United Nations

World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, is an annual United Nations Observance. UN-Water, the UN’s inter-agency coordination mechanism on water and sanitation, sets the theme and coordinates a Task Force which develops the global campaign.

Background

 What is World Water Day?

World Water Day celebrates water and inspires action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Why is this year’s focus on water and gender equality?

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by water-related challenges due to entrenched gender roles, inadequate infrastructure, underrepresentation, limited funding, restrictive social norms and systemic inequalities.

The 2026 World Water Day campaign calls for a transformative, rights-based approach where women have equal voice, leadership, and opportunities in water decision-making – making water a force for a healthier, more prosperous, gender-equal future that will benefit us all. (Download the Factsheet to learn more.)

Why do we need to take action on water?

Access to safe water is a human right, yet 2.1 billion people still live without safely managed drinking water services, with devastating impacts for their lives and wider society.

A well-managed water cycle underpins the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and is essential for action on climate change.

What is the UN doing to accelerate progress?

The UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation is a commitment by the UN and our partners to unify and maximize support – technical and financial – to help countries make faster and greater progress.

The Strategy’s Collaborative Implementation Plan sets out how UN entities and partners will work together to achieve more rapid and impactful results.

What happens on World Water Day?

In the lead-up to 22 March, people and organizations host World Water Day events and promote the theme through communications, advocacy and social media.

The UN World Water Development Report is released, focusing on the same topic as the campaign and recommending policy direction to decision makers.

The campaign – #WorldWaterDay – reaches a global online audience of billions and engages thousands of people in conversation and debate, raising awareness and informing decision-making across the world.