· Close to half of all people in developing countries suffering at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.
· Millions of women spending several hours a day collecting water.
· To these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit.…
The costs associated with health spending, productivity losses and labour diversions … are greatest in some of the poorest countries.
Sub-Saharan Africa loses about 5% of GDP, or some $28.4 billion annually, a figure that exceeds total aid flows and debt relief to the region in 2003. source 21
The richest 50 million people in Europe and North America have the same income as 2.7 billion poor people. “The slice of the cake taken by 1% is the same size as that handed to the poorest 57%.†source 22
The world’s 497 billionaires in 2001 registered a combined wealth of $1.54 trillion, well over the combined gross national products of all the nations of sub-Saharan Africa ($929.3 billion) or those of the oil-rich regions of the Middle East and North Africa ($1.34 trillion). It is also greater than the combined incomes of the poorest half of humanity. source 23
A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World. source 24
Consider the global priorities in spending in 1998 Global Priority$U.S. Billions
Cosmetics in the United States8
Ice cream in Europe11
Perfumes in Europe and the United States12
Pet foods in Europe and the United States17
Business entertainment in Japan35
Cigarettes in Europe50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe105
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