Joint Message from the UAE and Senegal, Co-Hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference, in Honor of World Water Day

The UAE and Senegal join all Member States and the international community in marking World Water Day and highlighting the importance of water and gender.
 
Water shapes our history, our present, and our shared future. It is the foundation for sustainable and equitable human dignity, for collective stability and for prosperity. It is our most precious global resource - yet it remains a critical global challenge.
 
To address this challenge, the UAE and Senegal are committed to delivering a successful, transformative, and inclusive 2026 UN Water Conference that accelerates the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.  
 
As Co-Hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference, the UAE and Senegal welcome this year’s World Water Day theme – Water and Gender. Achieving this requires inclusive partnerships and gender-responsive solutions that empower communities.
 
Sustainable Development Goal 6 is critical to advancing the broader SDG agenda. However, progress will not be possible without supporting women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
 
Globally, more than 1 billion women live in households that lack access to safely managed drinking water services. While this is down from 39.2 percent in 2000, today’s figures account for more than a quarter of all women worldwide (27.1 percent) (UN Women/UNDESA, 2023).
 
Women and girls are also primarily responsible for water collection – women and girls across 53 countries spend 250 million hours per day on water collection, an activity that negatively impacts their safety, health, and ability to participate in education and employment (UN Women/UNDESA, 2024).
 
In addition, 380 million women and girls – 9.5 percent of the global female population – live in areas of high or critical water stress, significantly impacting their health and hygiene. This number could rise to 674 million across 33 countries by 2050 (UN Women/UNDESA, 2023).
 
The scale of water challenges is not insurmountable. Lasting transformation requires empowering and listening to those most affected. We must advance practical, gender-responsive solutions to drive lasting change. Women and girls must be placed at the heart of our efforts.
 
Inclusion must go further. Local leaders, communities and Indigenous Peoples are vital stewards of water, while the youth are the innovators and custodians of the future. Inclusive processes will improve water and sanitation outcomes while strengthening trust, prosperity, and human dignity for generations to come.
 
While World Water Day is an important milestone, it is not enough. The UAE and Senegal are committed to elevating water on the global agenda and advancing inclusive dialogue to accelerate practical solutions through the 2026 UN Water Conference.
 
About the 2026 UN Water Conference
The UAE and Senegal are proud Co-Hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference, which aims to accelerate the implementation of SDG 6: Ensure available and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
 
Guided by UN General Assembly resolution 78/327, the 2026 UN Water Conference will encourage gender-responsive solutions, recognizing that the empowerment of women and girls is essential to achieving SDG 6.
 
The Conference will be a culmination of extensive global dialogue and consultation, including a recent High-Level Preparatory Meeting held in Dakar, in January 2026. The process also brings together twelve Co-Chairs leading six Interactive Dialogues to create ambitious, inclusive and innovative solutions.
 
The UAE and Senegal commend the Co-Chairs for their leadership and commitment to advancing actionable progress towards a sustainable water future.

As Co-Hosts, the UAE and Senegal call on all stakeholders to engage with insights, openness, and commitment to deliver political, technical, and transformative solutions to address the scale and urgency of the global water and sanitation challenges. We aim to convene a Conference defined by action: improving lives, restoring ecosystems, and accelerating access to clean water and sanitation systems for all.