On the occasion of World Water Day on March 22, first lady Emine Erdoğan highlighted the critical importance of water for national survival, security and food safety, stressing that Türkiye must act before water scarcity becomes a pressing threat.
In a message shared on her social media accounts, Erdoğan stated, “By uniting our ideas, efforts and goodwill, we can prevent our country from becoming one of the nations facing water scarcity in the future. Let us start by ensuring that the concept of water efficiency reaches every ear and every conscience. I hope everyone, from the young to the elderly, acts with the principles of respect for water, reverence for blessings, and commitment to life, and takes their place in the water efficiency campaign.”
She also emphasized that, “Today, water is a matter of survival, national security and food security for all countries.” Erdoğan went on to underline the need for collective awareness and action, calling on citizens of all ages to respect water, value blessings and commit to life.
She encourages everyone to actively participate in the water efficiency campaign, highlighting education, community engagement and conscious water use as essential tools to ensure Türkiye’s sustainable water future.
Access to safe drinking water remains a critical global challenge, according to UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 2.2 billion people worldwide lack reliable access to safe drinking water, underscoring water as a fundamental human right.
The problem is particularly acute in rural areas and marginalized communities, where infrastructure gaps and social inequalities compound the crisis.
The burden of water collection disproportionately falls on women and girls. Globally, more than 1.8 billion households lack household water services. In two out of every three households, women are responsible for water provision. In 53 countries with available data, women and girls spend three times more time than men, totaling 250 million hours per day, collecting water, which significantly affects their education, employment, and overall well-being.
The water crisis also represents a major public health issue. Unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene conditions lead to the daily deaths of approximately 1,000 children under 5 worldwide.
Freshwater scarcity is another pressing concern. Only 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater, and most of it is locked in glaciers or underground aquifers.
Only a small fraction is directly available for human consumption, agriculture and industrial use. Climate change is worsening this scarcity by accelerating glacier melt, making water cycles increasingly unpredictable and threatening food security, energy production, and livelihoods, while also harming ecosystems.
First lady Emine Erdoğan promotes water conservation through the Zero Waste Foundation, and the broader Zero Waste Movement, highlighting the protection of water resources and sustainable practices in Türkiye and around the world.
One of the projects is the “Zero Waste Blue – Drop by Drop” campaign, which highlights marine, lake and coastal conservation and encourages citizens to adopt sustainable behaviors that reduce water and resource waste.
