I have been contacted regarding WaterAid’s work to reach people with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.
Safe water and sanitation are basic human needs. In a world where over two billion people do not have access to safely managed drinking water and over four billion do not have safely managed sanitation, I welcome the Government’s commitment to delivering on Global Goal Six, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
The Department for International Development has spent £204 million on water and sanitation bilaterally, with the UK spending approximately £275 million through multilateral organisations. I am proud of what the UK has achieved, with DFID funding leading to over 51 million people gaining access to improved drinking water or a toilet since 2015, building on the UK’s success in helping over 64 million gain access to water and sanitation services between 2011 and 2015.
The global spread of Covid-19 has highlighted the critical importance of good hygiene to improving public health and protecting lives. I welcome the Government’s partnership with Unilever, which aims to reach one billion people worldwide, raising awareness to ensure people are washing their hands with soap and disinfecting services. The programme will also provide over 20 million hygiene products in the developing world.
I am grateful to constituents who have raised this important matter with me and I will continue to raise this with ministers.
