AU State of Africa's Children 2026: Special Focus on Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)
Advancing child rights through safe water and sanitation
Highlights
Safe water, sanitation and hygiene are fundamental to every child’s survival, health, learning and dignity - and to Africa’s future. Yet millions of children across the continent still grow up without these basic rights, with the greatest burden falling on those already facing poverty, inequality, conflict and the impacts of climate change.
The State of Africa’s Children 2026: Special Focus on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene examines the WASH context for nearly 700 million children across Africa and its far-reaching impact on child survival, education, gender equality, protection and human capital development. The report brings together the latest evidence to make the case for urgent action. It identifies where progress is being made, where children are being left behind, and what governments and partners can do differently.
At its heart is a clear call to action: stronger political leadership, greater and more effective investment, and accountability for results. With Africa’s child population continuing to grow and climate pressures intensifying, accelerating progress on WASH is not only essential to achieving children’s rights today – it is an investment in the continent’s health, resilience and prosperity for generations to come.
