Water is life. Sanitation is dignity. Hygiene is healthy. These are not just privileges; they are fundamental rights. Yet, despite the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which calls for “available and sustainable water and sanitation for all,” millions remain excluded from these basic human needs.
The Global Picture Is Bleak
According to a recent UN report:
- 2.2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water
- 3.5 billion people live without safely managed sanitation
- 2.2 billion people have no access to basic handwashing facilities
To stay on track with SDG 6, global efforts must accelerate:
- 6 times faster for water access
- 5 times faster for sanitation
- 3 times faster for hygiene
These numbers are shocking—but for some communities, they’re even worse than the global average.
SOUTH EAST NIGERIA; A crisis within a crisis.
In 2023, under the LGGM project, CEDU visited primary and secondary schools across Nigeria’s Southeast region. The findings were heart-wrenching—99% of the schools lacked functional WASH facilities. We returned in March 2025 hoping to see signs of progress.
What we found was devastating: no visible progress.
No clean water.
No safe toilets.
No hygiene facilities.
Children are still forced to defecate in bushes.
Girls miss school during their periods because there’s nowhere private or clean.
The daily school experience is marked by discomfort, disease, and indignity.
HOW CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE WITHOUT FIXING THE BASICS?
If the global target requires a sixfold increase in speed, what does that mean for Southeast Nigeria, where nearly every school is starting from zero? Can we even dream of achieving SDG 6 by 2030 when our educational spaces are still stuck in conditions reminiscent of centuries past?
This is more than a development issue, It is a moral failing.
We will not stay silent. Not when children still trek through unsafe paths to defecate in bushes. Not when young girls stay home during their periods because schools cannot offer a clean, private space. Not when WASH deprivation becomes a daily threat to health, education, and dignity.
WHAT’S NEXT? In thecomh weeks, we will share concrete steps and recommendations to revert this crisis and bring meaningful change to the lives of children in Southeast Nigeria.
But today, we raise our voice again: The WASH crisis in Southeast Nigeria’s schools is not a side issue—it is the foundation upon which every other right must stand. If we fail here, we fail everywhere.
Want to Get Involved?
Whether you’re a policymaker, a parent, an NGO, or someone who simply cares — we invite you to take action.
Partner with us, support our work, or join the movement:
Email: cedu@csaaeinc.org
Speak up. Step in. Be the change.