United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said access to clean water for all will foster peace and development in regions ravaged by prolonged armed conflict.
Phuong Nguyen, UNICEF chief of Borno Field Office, disclosed this during the 2024 commemoration of World Water Day with the theme, “water for peace” held in Maiduguri on Friday.
The UNICEF chief lamented that access to clean water and sanitation remains a challenge to millions of children and communities in the northeast region.
“Let us reaffirm our commitment to building a future where every child has access to clean water, every community thrives in harmony, and peace reigns supreme.
“Together, let us unleash the full potential of water as a force for good, driving sustainable development and fostering a culture of peace that will endure for generations to come,” she said.
She noted that in the northeast, access to clean water was still a challenge to many communities, exacerbating their already difficult circumstances due to vandalisation and theft, which has reduced the capacity to maximise returns of WASH investments.
“Access to safe water is still a mirage for millions of children, households and communities in northeast Nigeria. Access to safe water and sanitation remains a significant challenge.
“There is a need to prevent the vandalisation and theft of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in camps and communities,” she noted.
