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Caritas Switzerland Annual Report of Activities - CARITAS - Schweiz

Caritas Switzerland Annual Report of Activities - CARITAS - Schweiz

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Why do<br />

we need<br />

ever more<br />

water?<br />

The importance <strong>of</strong> water for human development is reflected<br />

in the fact that water consumption grows twice as<br />

fast as the world’s population. In many places, however,<br />

the basic need for water remains unmet. According to the<br />

UN, 900 million people still have no access to clean drinking<br />

water. The wrong or too intensive use <strong>of</strong> water, the contamination<br />

<strong>of</strong> worldwide water resources, urbanisation, but<br />

also poor management and waste are all barriers to efficient<br />

and sustainable water supplies. This leads to dire hygienic<br />

conditions. 2.6 billion people have no access to sanitary<br />

facilities. More than eighty per cent <strong>of</strong> diseases and<br />

a quarter <strong>of</strong> all deaths in developing countries are due to<br />

contaminated water. The inequitable distribution <strong>of</strong> water<br />

can also lead to hunger and conflict.<br />

5

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