The World Bank has announced a landmark initiative, Water Forward, aiming to provide an additional one billion people with sustainable access to safe water by 2030. The programme is supported by partners including WaterAid, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and nations such as the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Around 400 million people will be supported directly through World Bank Group programmes, while another 600 million will benefit from investments by development banks, philanthropy, and private finance.
According to the UN, nearly two billion people globally lack access to safely managed water, contributing to disease and preventable deaths, especially among children. Each year, over a million women and babies die from infections linked to childbirth, many of which could be avoided with basic water infrastructure in healthcare facilities.
World Bank President Ajay Banga stated at the launch in Washington DC: “Water is foundational to how economies function. When water systems work, farmers produce, businesses operate, and cities attract investment. Our task now is to deliver reliable water services at scale.”
The initiative comes amid cuts to aid funding from the US, UK, and Europe, which have impacted many African nations. Tim Wainwright, CEO of WaterAid UK, emphasised: “Water underpins health, education, gender equality, economies and jobs. Progress has been too slow – and weather extremes are taking us backwards. But the solutions are often simple. What has been missing is political will and finance, at scale and quality. Water Forward brings exactly those two ingredients for change.”
The World Bank will focus on three pillars: water for people, water for food, and water for planet. WaterAid will support government-led, locally driven action. Last month, WaterAid published analysis showing women with maternal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa are nearly 150 times more likely to die than those in Britain, with lack of clean water contributing to 36 deaths daily. Across sub-Saharan Africa, 4.7 million women develop maternal sepsis annually, and many maternity wards lack basic water and sanitation.
WaterAid’s global campaign, Time to Deliver, calls for greater investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene in healthcare facilities. With world leaders set to gather for the UN Water Conference later this year, WaterAid says the world is in a crucial window to secure momentum, finance, and political will to tackle the global water crisis.
