UNICEF - Global Annual Results Report 2025 Goal Area 4

Global Annual Results Report 2025

GOAL AREA 4

Every child lives in a safe and clean environmentCover image: © UNICEF/UNI855868/Arcos In the canton of Shushufindi, Sucumbíos Province, Ecuador, UNICEF and its partners installed four climate-resilient drinking water systems, providing 661 families in the communities of Allipamba, El Carmen, Tierras Orientales and El Paraíso with access to safe drinking water. Supported by Banco Pichincha’s Sumar Juntos initiative, this project addresses persistent water challenges affecting children in the Amazon by upgrading infrastructure to withstand droughts, extreme rainfall and other climate hazards. The systems are powered by sustainable energy, including solar power, and are complemented by community training in water conservation, system maintenance and sustainable local management led by women and young people. The project is improving children’s health, strengthening dignity and creating greater opportunities for development by bringing safe water to homes and schools. It also demonstrates how private sector partnerships can help transform the lives of thousands of children by expanding access to essential services.

Expression of thanks: © UNICEF/UNI980092/Iyakaremye Students at Nyabihanga Technical Secondary School in Rusizi District, Rwanda, wash their hands using a water tap provided by UNICEF. The school benefits from improved access to water, helping to promote hygiene and create a healthier learning environment for students.Expression of thanks UNICEF works to ensure that every child lives in a safe, clean and sustainable environment – an essential foundation for child survival, development and resilience. This work is made possible through the voluntary support of millions of people around the world and, critically through strong partnerships with governments, civil society and the private sector. Together, these partnerships enable UNICEF to deliver on its mandate to protect children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand opportunities for every child to reach their full potential.

UNICEF expresses its deep appreciation to all partners for their support and continued trust, commitment and collaboration. Their contributions are instrumental in advancing high-impact, scalable solutions across

protect children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand opportunities for every child to reach their full potential. UNICEF expresses its deep appreciation to all partners for their support and continued trust, commitment and collaboration. Their contributions are instrumental in advancing high-impact, scalable solutions across water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and the climate, environment, energy and disaster risk reduction (CEED) programming. In 2025, UNICEF is particularly grateful to the following government partners for providing the largest contributions to WASH and CEED programmes across UNICEF globally: The Netherlands, the European Commission, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the World Bank via the Government of Madagascar, Denmark, UNOCHA - Central Emergency Response Fund, and Japan. These investments have been critical in strengthening systems, accelerating climate-resilient services and reaching the most vulnerable children in fragile and high-risk contexts.UNICEF also extends special thanks to partners providing thematic and flexible funding, notably Sweden, which enables longer-term planning and continuous improvement in the quality and sustainability of interventions. UNICEF further acknowledges the Government of the Netherlands for its financial and technical support to the Accelerating Climate-Resilient Sanitation and Water Supply for All (ASWA) multicountry programme, which is advancing integrated and climate-resilient WASH solutions across diverse context in Africa. Support from the private sector and foundations remains vital to driving innovation and expanding reach. UNICEF gratefully acknowledges the ongoing contributions of LIXIL and the Gates Foundation, whose support continues to advance progress in sanitation and hygiene, particularly for underserved populations. UNICEF also recognises the sustained, generous support of the following partners in contributing to UNICEF’s climate action and sustainability agenda: The United Kingdom (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), Germany (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development [BMZ] and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau [KfW]), The Prudential Foundation and the Republic of Korea (Korea International Cooperation Agency [KOICA]). In the Boregaina community in Papua New Guinea, children and families are increasingly affected by severe droughts and

and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau [KfW]), The Prudential Foundation and the Republic of Korea (Korea International Cooperation Agency [KOICA]). In the Boregaina community in Papua New Guinea, children and families are increasingly affected by severe droughts and floods. Through the KOICA-UNICEF ‘Climate Action for the Last Mile’ programme, UNICEF, in partnership with Rigo District Administration and the Central Provincial Administration, is strengthening climate-smart and more resilient water, sanitation and wider social services in targeted communities. To date, UNICEF has reached 8,000 people in Papua New Guinea with climate-resilient WASH services, contributing to the programme’s aim of directly reaching 30,000 people. © UNICEF/UNI883901Contents Executive summary .................................... 4 Results Area 1: Safe and equitable water, sanitation and hygiene services and practices ...................................................... 9 Access to safe water supply ........................................... 13 Sanitation ............................................................................ 19 Hygiene ............................................................................... 25 WASH in institutions ......................................................... 33 WASH in emergencies and fragile contexts ................ 41

Cross-cutting: WASH and gender equality ................... 48

Cross-cutting: WASH and disability ............................... 51

Results Area 2: WASH systemsstrengthening ............................................ 54 Climate resilient WASH ..................................................... 55 Policy and strategy ........................................................... 65 Institutional arrangements ............................................. 65 Sector finance strategies ................................................ 70 Planning, monitoring and review .................................. 74 Knowledge management ................................................ 78 Capacity development ..................................................... 80 Results Area 3: Climate change, disaster risks and environmental degradation .............................................. 83 Scaling climate and environmental action for children ............................................................................... 84 Protecting children through climate-resilient social systems and services ....................................................... 89 Reducing the risks of climate-related hazards, shocks and threats ............................................................ 96 Advancing policies that address children’s needs and rights in a changing climate .....................102 Accelerating results through innovation and

Protecting children through climate-resilient social systems and services ....................................................... 89 Reducing the risks of climate-related hazards, shocks and threats ............................................................ 96 Advancing policies that address children’s needs and rights in a changing climate .....................102 Accelerating results through innovation and child and youth engagement ........................................104 Driving impact for children through sustainable operations and supply chains .......................................107 Country examples ...........................................................109 Endnotes .................................................. 112 Financial annex ....................................... 1182 GOAL AREA 4 | Every child lives in a safe and clean environment Abbreviations AA Anticipatory action AIP African Investment Programme AQA Accountability and Quality Assurance ASWA Accelerating Climate-Resilient Sanitation and Water Supply for All CATI Case-Area Targeted Interventions CCA Climate change adaptation CCRI-DRM Children’s Climate Risk Index-Disaster Risk Models CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CEED Climate, environment, energy and disaster risk reduction CEH Children’s Environmental Health CEHI Children’s Environmental Health Indicators CERF UN Central Emergency Response Fund CLTS Community-Led Total Sanitation COP Conference of the Parties COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 CRIBS Climate-Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services CSI Core Standard Indicator CSSF Comprehensive School Safety Framework CTK Coordination Toolkit DHS Demographic and Health Survey DRR Disaster risk reduction EAPRO East Asia and Pacific Regional Office ESARO Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office ESS Environmental and Social Standards EW4All Early Warnings for All EWS Early warning systems FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FCDO United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office FRLD Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage FST Field Support Team GADRRRES Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector GCF Green Climate Fund GHG Greenhouse gas GIZ German Agency for International Cooperation GLAAS UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation GMC Global Menstrual Collective GSN Global Strategic Network GWC Global WASH Cluster GWL Global Water Programme

and Resilience in the Education Sector GCF Green Climate Fund GHG Greenhouse gas GIZ German Agency for International Cooperation GLAAS UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation GMC Global Menstrual Collective GSN Global Strategic Network GWC Global WASH Cluster GWL Global Water Programme GWSRI The Global WASH Sector Resilience Index HCF Health care facility HEHC Healthy Environments for Healthy Children HFSE Health Facility Solar Electrification HoSI Heads of State Initiative IDP Internally displaced person ILE International Learning Exchange IPC Infection prevention and control IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre JMP WHO–UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene JSR Joint Section Review LAC Latin America and the Caribbean LCOY Local Conference of Youth LDCs Least Developed Countries LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LMICs lowand middle-income countries LNAs Local and National Actors MH-DA Y Menstrual Hygiene Day MHH Menstrual health and hygiene MHM Menstrual Hygiene Management3 Global Annual Results Report 2025 | UNICEF MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MINEE Ministry of Water and Energy M-SMOSS Monitoring Safely Managed On-Site Sanitation NAP National Adaptation Plan NCP National Coordination Platform NDC Nationally Determined Contribution ODF Open Defecation Free OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights PDNA Post Disaster Needs Assessment PHC Primary health care centre PM2.5 Particulate matter (particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller) PPP Public-Private Partnership ROK Republic of Korea RUTF Ready-to-use therapeutic food SANAA National Water and Sewerage Service SBC Social and Behaviour Change SCAP UNICEF Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan SDG Sustainable Development Goal SE4All Sustainable Energy for All SES Social and Environmental Safeguarding SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SIDS Small Island Developing States SIE Safe injection equipment SIWI Stockholm International Water Institute

SBC Social and Behaviour Change SCAP UNICEF Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan SDG Sustainable Development Goal SE4All Sustainable Energy for All SES Social and Environmental Safeguarding SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SIDS Small Island Developing States SIE Safe injection equipment SIWI Stockholm International Water Institute SMS Safely managed sanitation SP Strategic Plan SRSP Shock-responsive social protection SVP Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar SWA Sanitation and Water for All SWSC Sector Wide Sustainability Check TTI Today and Tomorrow Initiative TWG Technical Working Group UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNDRR United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNGM UN Global Marketplace UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNU United Nations University VET Vocational education and training WASH Water, sanitation and hygiene WASH BAT WASH Bottleneck Analysis Tool WASH FIT Water and Sanitation for Health care Facility Improvement Tool WCAR West and Central Africa region WFP World Food Programme WHO World Health Organization WIA WASH Insecurity Analysis WinS WASH in schools WMO The World Meteorological Organization WSPs Water Safety Plans YuWaah UNICEF India’s Youth Generation UnlimitedExecutive summary Sev Phyom, mother of Chanthou, used to spend up to three hours per day waiting at an overcrowded local well for her turn to collect water. UNICEF has supported the Ministry of Rural Development in installing a community piped water supply system in a rural Indigenous Jarai village in Ratankairi province, helping communities access clean, climate-resilient piped water at home. The system uses solar power to ensure the water continues to flow day and night. It is designed to withstand extreme weather events such as flooding and drought. © UNICEF/Cambodia/Cristyn Lloyd5 Global Annual Results Report 2025 | UNICEF In 2021, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022–2025 committed to actions for every child, including adolescents, to have

such as flooding and drought. © UNICEF/Cambodia/Cristyn Lloyd5 Global Annual Results Report 2025 | UNICEF In 2021, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022–2025 committed to actions for every child, including adolescents, to have access to safe and equitable water, sanitation and hygiene services, and to live in a safe and sustainable climate and environment. Through Goal Area 4, UNICEF delivers on three results areas: 1) safe and equitable WASH services and practices; 2) WASH systems and community empowerment; and 3) climate change, disaster risks and environmental degradation. Results areas 1 and 2 (WASH): Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is foundational to human rights, public health, climate resilience and sustainable development. As the 2030 Agenda enters its final phase, the WASH sector is at a critical inflection point. While service coverage has expanded over the past decade, progress remains uneven and insufficient to meet growing demand. Deep inequalities persist, climate-related shocks are intensifying risks; and systemic constraints, particularly in financing and institutional capacity continue to limit sustainable and inclusive service delivery, particularly in fragile and low-income contexts. Recent global monitoring highlights both progress and the scale of the remaining challenge. Between 2015 and 2024, access to safely managed drinking water increased from 68 to 74 per cent, safely managed sanitation from 48 to 58 per cent, and basic hygiene from 66 to 80 per cent. However, population growth, urbanisation and fragility have outpaced service expansion in many settings. As a result, absolute number of people without access remains stark: 2.1 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, 3.4 billion lack safely managed sanitation, and 1.7 billion remain without basic handwashing facilities with soap and water, underscoring the scale and urgency of the unfinished agenda1. Structural bottlenecks continue to constrain progress. Despite widespread adoption of national WASH policies

water, 3.4 billion lack safely managed sanitation, and 1.7 billion remain without basic handwashing facilities with soap and water, underscoring the scale and urgency of the unfinished agenda1. Structural bottlenecks continue to constrain progress. Despite widespread adoption of national WASH policies aligned with the SDGs, implementation remains weak as evidenced by the 2025 State of systems for WASH (GLAAS) report2, jointly released by WHO and UNICEF. A persistent financing gap – estimated at 46 per cent – combined with stagnant public expenditure and declining official development assistance, limits the ability of countries to translate commitments into results. These challenges underscore the urgent need to shift from incremental service delivery gains to systemic transformation, with stronger institutions, sustainable financing models and improved accountability. Climate change is further reshaping the WASH landscape, amplifying vulnerabilities and exposing the fragility of existing systems. The UNICEF Executive Board special session on climate resilient WASH, held in September 2025, elevated WASH as a frontline climate adaptation priority. The session brought together Member States, youth advocates, private sector partners, global influencers and UNICEF leadership, spotlighting how climate-resilient WASH solutions, anchored in crosssectoral partnerships are driving impact. Against this backdrop, UNICEF continued to scale both its operational reach and its systems leadership. In 2025, UNICEF invested over $950 million in WASH across almost 100 countries, with approximately half of this expenditure directed to humanitarian contexts. Through support for safe WASH services (GA4 RA1), UNICEF supported over 34 million to safe water, over 17 million with access to at least basic sanitation services, and over 15 million with basic hand hygiene. In emergencies, UNICEF reached over 36 million people with water, sanitation or hygiene services in 2025, responding to large scale crises and disease outbreaks, including cholera, across high-risk settings.

basic sanitation services, and over 15 million with basic hand hygiene. In emergencies, UNICEF reached over 36 million people with water, sanitation or hygiene services in 2025, responding to large scale crises and disease outbreaks, including cholera, across high-risk settings. Beyond service delivery, UNICEF strengthened WASH systems in social infrastructure, supporting over 5,500 schools and over 2,750 health care facilities to reach at least a basic WASH service level. In collaboration with WHO, UNICEF fulfilled its mandated role in reporting global progress on WASH in Health Care facilities to the UN SG. The report highlighted that progress remains constrained by the limited development, financing, and implementation of costed national roadmaps, underscoring a critical systems gap with direct implications for health outcomes and reinforcing the urgent need to strengthen WASH in health care facilities. Advancing gender equality and menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) remained central to UNICEF’s WASH agenda. In 2025, nearly 9 million women and adolescent girls benefitted from MHH interventions contributing to improved health, dignity and participation in education and society. Beyond service delivery, UNICEF strengthened gender-responsive WASH systems by supporting countries – particularly through the Netherlands-supported Accelerating Climate-Resilient Sanitation and Water for All’ (ASWA) initiative – to integrate gender landscape analyses and actionable plans into sector planning, monitoring and budgeting processes. UNICEF further advanced the agenda by finalising a guidance note on transformative programming principles for gender-equitable wash systems and services offering a practical, systems-level roadmap for governments and partners to leverage policies, platforms, partnerships, to address structural gender inequalities and deliver inclusive, resilient services. Together with WHO, UNICEF also led the 2025 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) gender-focused reporting, emphasising the critical need to advance gender-specific indicators and monitoring frameworks to drive evidence-based actions. UNICEF also deepened its focus on strengthening WASH

inclusive, resilient services. Together with WHO, UNICEF also led the 2025 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) gender-focused reporting, emphasising the critical need to advance gender-specific indicators and monitoring frameworks to drive evidence-based actions. UNICEF also deepened its focus on strengthening WASH sector systems and mobilising sustainable financing. Support to national WASH finance strategies and sector planning contributed to measurable progress, while the forthcoming Strategic Plan (2026-2029) underscores the need for increased flexible funds and strengthened country capacity. The transition toward a UNICEF Global WASH Practice reflects a strategic shift towards greater prioritisation of system strengthening scalability and impact.6 GOAL AREA 4 | Every child lives in a safe and clean environment Climate-resilient WASH programming expanded significantly. In 2025, UNICEF supported over 9 million people in 59 countries with climate-resilient water services and over 3.2 million people in 45 countries with climate-resilient basic sanitation service. More than 1,700 solar-powered water systems were supported across 70 countries. Overall, UNICEF delivered climate resilient WASH services (including schools and healthcare facilities) in 82 countries. Over the course of the Strategic Plan period, an additional 39 countries achieved the triple criteria of having a Climate Rationale for WASH, ensuring WASH is reflected in key national climate and/or WASH documents and implementing or monitoring climate resilient WASH services. Integrated approaches across the humanitariandevelopment-peace nexus continued to gain traction, with 35 Countries embedding nexus programming in WASH. This approach positions water and sanitation services as critical entry point for strengthening resilience, fostering social cohesion and supporting recovery and peacebuilding in fragile and conflict affected settings. Innovation remained a key driver of sector transformation. In 2025, UNICEF advanced initiatives in sanitation, groundwater mapping, real-time data integration and predictive analytics, including AI enabled drought forecasting. These innovations are helping to address persistent gaps in service delivery, data visibility and system performance.

Innovation remained a key driver of sector transformation. In 2025, UNICEF advanced initiatives in sanitation, groundwater mapping, real-time data integration and predictive analytics, including AI enabled drought forecasting. These innovations are helping to address persistent gaps in service delivery, data visibility and system performance. Finally, UNICEF reinforced its role as a global WASH thought leader by generating and disseminating evidencebased guidance on priority areas, including on Monitoring WASH contribution to community resilience under climate change3; Area-wide programming approaches for safely managed sanitation4; Hand Hygiene in Community Settings5; Menstrual product access models6; Climateresilient WASH in schools7 and WASH Service Delivery Models8, strengthening the sector’s capacity to translate knowledge into scalable and sustainable actions. Looking ahead, the path to achieving SDG 6 requires a decisive shift – from fragmented interventions to integrated, system-wide transformation; from short-term outputs to long-term resilience; and from incremental progress to accelerated, equity-driven results. UNICEF remains committed to supporting governments and partners to deliver inclusive, climate-resilient and sustainable WASH services for all. Result area 3 (CEED): UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022–2025 and Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan 2023–2030 positioned climate resilience, environmental protection, sustainable energy and disaster risk reduction (DRR) as central to children’s rights and development. By 2025, UNICEF supported 129 governments to strengthen the climate resilience and adaptive capacity of childessential social services, up from 37 in 2021. Climate resilience priorities were integrated into at least one sector in 128 countries, while child-sensitive DRR interventions were implemented with governments in 110 countries. Stronger data, analytics and risk-informed decision-making underpinned this progress. In 2025, 89 country offices conducted multi-sector climate and environmental studies. UNICEF also developed the Global Child Hazard Database to analyse children’s exposure to 10 climate-specific and climate-related hazards across all programme countries.

underpinned this progress. In 2025, 89 country offices conducted multi-sector climate and environmental studies. UNICEF also developed the Global Child Hazard Database to analyse children’s exposure to 10 climate-specific and climate-related hazards across all programme countries. These investments helped governments identify children most at risk, prioritize adaptation and preparedness measures, and strengthen climate-resilient programming. In 2025, UNICEF expanded cross-sector programming to protect the services children rely on, with 89 countries implementing climate-resilient policies and programmes across at least two sectors. Sustainable energy solutions were implemented in 121 countries, helping maintain service continuity in health care facilities, schools and water systems. UNICEF also supported 99 countries to integrate green skills and content on climate action, environmental management and DRR into education systems and curricula. Preparedness, early warning systems, anticipatory action, DRR and disaster risk financing became increasingly central to UNICEF’s work. UNICEF supported governments in 59 countries to strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems and to establish 19 anticipatory action frameworks for cholera, droughts, floods and cyclones. Through innovative financing approaches, UNICEF helped unlock faster, more predictable funding before and after climate-related shocks, enabling more timely, costeffective and child-focused responses. A key example is the UNICEF Today and Tomorrow Initiative cyclone insurance payouts, which reached 516,000 people, 110,000 of whom were children. UNICEF also advanced child-responsive climate and environmental policy at national, regional and global levels. By the end of 2025, 99 countries had updated climate, environmental or disaster risk management policies. Additionally, in 141 countries, 23 million young people engaged in climate and environmental action through various volunteer initiatives, Eco Clubs and school classroom activities – demonstrating the growing role of children and young people as agents of climate action. Sustainability was strengthened across UNICEF’s operations and programming. UNICEF reduced operational emissions

people engaged in climate and environmental action through various volunteer initiatives, Eco Clubs and school classroom activities – demonstrating the growing role of children and young people as agents of climate action. Sustainability was strengthened across UNICEF’s operations and programming. UNICEF reduced operational emissions by 33 per cent and increased the share of sustainable energy use to 59 per cent. It also finalized and launched its Policy and Procedure on Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) in Programming, along with its revised Policy on Safeguarding. By the end of 2025, 54 of 129 country offices were applying ESS in their programmes, reinforcing UNICEF’s commitment to environmentally responsible results. Looking ahead, protecting children from climate impacts and environmental hazards will require more integrated and risk-informed action at scale. UNICEF will continue working with governments, civil society, UN agencies, publicand private-sector partners, research institutions, children and young people to strengthen the resilience of the social services children rely on and to advance climate and environmental action for every child.7 Global Annual Results Report 2025 | UNICEF 2022-25 Strategic plan indicator summary table TABLE 1: Summary of Goal Area 4 results under the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2022 – 2025 Goal Area 4: Every child, including adolescents, has access to safe and equitable water, sanitation and hygiene services and supplies, and lives in a safe and sustainable climate and environment Safe and equitable water, sanitation and hygiene services and practices Result area 1: Sustained access to and use of safe water, sanitation and hygiene practices for all children and adolescents, particularly the most disadvantaged and those living in humanitarian and fragile contexts. Output Indicators Baseline 2022 value 2023 value 2024 value Target (2025) 4.1.1 Number of people reached with at least basic sanitation services through UNICEFsupported programmes (cumulative) Milestones 7,500,000 20,000,000 35,000,000 60,000,000

4.1.1 Number of people reached with at least basic sanitation services through UNICEFsupported programmes (cumulative) Milestones 7,500,000 20,000,000 35,000,000 60,000,000 0 26,035,782 47,502,424 65,550,444 82,862,889 4.1.2 Number of people reached with at least basic water that is safe and available when needed, through UNICEF-supported programmes (cumulative) Milestones 7,500,000 20,000,000 35,000,000 60,000,000 0 30,633,449 66,568,160 99,945,411 134,648,867 4.1.3 Number of people reached with at least basic hygiene services through UNICEFsupported programmes (cumulative) Mil