What to read after Progress for Children?

This publication is the fifith in a UNICEF series that monitors progress for children towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It assesses current performance in relation to MDG no.7 which aims to halve by 2015 the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. As well as being vital in themselves, safe water and sanitation are also key prerequisites for achieving other MDGs such as reducing child and materal mortality, combating diseases, reducing child undernutrition and achieving universal primary education. The report estimates that, if current trends continue, the world is on track to meet the target for drinking water, although some countries and regions are lagging behind, but the target for basic sanitation will not be met unless progress is greatly accelerated.