Ewha Womans UniversityInstitute for Development and Human Security

Water and Sanitation

Clean water is a crucial element in public health because it is used in virtually all aspects of daily life. Improved water supply, sanitation, and management of water resources contribute to a nation's economic development and poverty reduction. In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared that everyone has the right to access sufficient, continuous, safe, and affordable water. However, even today, 1.8 billion people worldwide are drinking contaminated water. Contaminated water can cause diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio, and over 500,000 people die each year from diarrhea caused by contaminated water.

Around 2.4 billion people worldwide lack access to sanitary toilets. At least 10% of people consume food grown on land contaminated by sewage. Such environments can lead to diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. While there have been improvements, sanitation issues still display significant disparities depending on the region or country, or even within a country. For example, in South Asia, the percentage of people with access to sanitation facilities increased from 22% in 1990 to 47% in 2015, showing substantial progress. In contrast, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the increase was from 24% in 1990 to only 30% in 2015, indicating a much slower rate of improvement compared to other regions.

From a socioeconomic perspective, access to safe and easily obtainable water is extremely important. If clean water is available nearby, people do not need to spend time fetching water from far away, allowing them to use that time for education, economic activities, and other pursuits. It also means they can avoid the dangers of traveling long distances and reduce the risk of diseases caused by contaminated water. Particularly for vulnerable children, having access to safe drinking water means they can attend school in good health and potentially achieve a higher level of education, leading to a better quality of life in the long term. Clean sanitation facilities also offer many benefits. They help prevent the spread of parasites and tropical diseases, ensure nutritional balance, and, by providing gender-segregated toilets, can improve school attendance rates for girls.

Environment and Climate Change

Research shows that environmental pollution and climate change can cause severe health issues globally. According to 97% of climate scientists, climate change is driven by human activities such as fossil fuel use and deforestation. By 2050, it is predicted that New York will experience three times as many days exceeding 32°C due to climate change, with heat waves becoming more frequent and severe. The economic impacts are also expected to be significant. worsening air pollution could lead to respiratory disorders like asthma, infectious diseases, reduced crop yields, food shortages due to plant diseases, and an increase in conditions such as PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and depression.

The impacts of climate change are more pronounced in low-income countries where relevant facilities or policies are inadequate, and even in developed nations, vulnerable populations are inevitably more affected. In particular, impoverished communities and children or adolescents in equatorial regions are already experiencing diseases related to climate impacts (such as malnutrition, diarrhea, and malaria), indicating that they are more vulnerable to climate change. To address this, the international community needs to implement cost-effective measures in the health sector in advance. Additionally, efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change, such as using renewable energy, should be sustained to protect our health.

Nutrition

Nutritional imbalance can pose a serious threat to our health. Currently, the world faces the dual issues of malnutrition and obesity, representing extremes of nutritional imbalance. Worldwide, 1.9 billion adults are overweight or obese, while 462 million people are underweight. Hunger and malnutrition hinder the physical and cognitive development of young children and can be causes of mortality for mothers, fetuses, and infants. At the same time, the rise in obesity and overweight globally is increasing the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, threatening many lives.

As of 2010, approximately 100 million children are underweight, and one-third of child deaths are attributed to malnutrition. According to data from 2010, over 170 million children under the age of five suffered from stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition, and 13 million children were born underweight or prematurely due to maternal malnutrition and related factors.

Overweight and obesity are also major issues. Maternal overweight can lead to complications during pregnancy and each year, 2.6 million people worldwide die due to being overweight or obese. Obesity is directly linked to diseases classified as "diseases of affluence," such as myocardial infarction and stroke. These conditions are mostly chronic, resulting in ongoing medical expenses that can be a significant financial burden.

Deficiencies in micronutrients such as vitamin A, iodine, and iron are significant nutritional issues. Iodine deficiency is one of the most common causes of impaired cognitive development in children and can subsequently threaten mental health and life itself. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can lead to stillbirths and spontaneous abortions. Similarly, vitamin A deficiency is a severe health issue that can cause blindness or death in children. It poses a significant threat to the health of children and mothers in low-income countries in Africa and Southeast Asia.

To address this issue, the international community is exploring various approaches. Nutritional problems are included in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 2, which aims to "end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture," and Goal 3, which focuses on "ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages." Recently, to prevent iodine deficiency, organizations such as Nutrition International, UNICEF, and WFP, with support from Canada, have conducted joint research on iodized salt. The introduction of iodized salt has been highly successful in countries where iodine deficiency is a significant issue.