BAVINA SOOKDEO
A Slovakian proverb states, “Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine,” a sentiment that resonates deeply as we observe World Water Day 2025 under the theme Glacier Preservation.
Held annually on March 22, World Water Day is a UN observance that highlights the vital role of freshwater. The day is a global celebration of water, aimed at raising awareness and inspiring action to address the worldwide water crisis. Its central goal is to support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: ensuring clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.
According to the UN, “Glaciers are critical to life – their meltwater is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems. Rapidly melting glaciers are causing uncertainty to water flows, with profound impacts on people and the planet. Global reductions in carbon emissions and local strategies to adapt to shrinking glaciers are essential. This World Water Day, we must work together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.”
So why does water matter so much?
With the chemical formula H₂O, water consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, forming a molecule vital to all aspects of life. It is essential for human health and function, comprising 50 to 70 per cent of the body and supporting vital cellular processes.
It plays a key role in regulating body temperature through sweating, aids digestion by breaking down food and transporting nutrients, and assists the kidneys and liver in flushing out toxins.
Additionally, water cushions joints, protects vital organs like the brain and spinal cord, and promotes overall well-being by improving hydration, skin health, mood, cognition, and sleep quality.
Beyond human health, water is crucial for agriculture and food production, supporting irrigation and livestock to ensure food security. It is also indispensable in industry and energy production, where many processes rely on water, including power generation.
Furthermore, water sustains ecosystems and biodiversity, making it vital for environmental health. In the face of climate change, water serves as a critical link between society and the environment, playing a key role in adaptation and resilience.
But despite its abundance, access to clean water remains a global challenge.
The UN’s website lists some of these water-related challenges:
*In 2022 - 2.2 billion people still lacked access to safely managed drinking water services. (WHO/Unicef 2023)
*In 2022 - 3.5 billion people still lacked safely managed sanitation, including 419 million who practiced open defecation. (WHO/Unicef 2023)
*There are still around two billion people worldwide without access to safely managed drinking water services. Among them, 771 million people cannot access even basic drinking water services. (World Bank 2023)
*Over half of the global population or 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services. (UN Water 2019)
*Better wat
