To mark World Water Day on March 22, WaterAid released its State of the World’s Water report, warning that because of climate change, the world’s poorest communities will face an even tougher struggle for access to clean water. Countries ranking highest in population without access to clean water also rank high in vulnerability to climate change and low in their ability to adapt to it. “Extreme weather events resulting from climate change can mean more storm surges, flooding, droughts and contaminated water sources. They can wipe out fragile infrastructure, dry up rivers, ponds and springs, and contribute to the spread of waterborne diseases making an already difficult situation worse for the 663 million people in the world without access to clean water. When climate disasters strike rural populations, the challenges are even greater,” CEO of WaterAid Canada, Nicole Hurtubise, told Lady Freethinker. Since 2010, the right to clean water has been recognized as a basic human right. It is the primary step in the struggle to overcome poverty and gain access to fundamental healthcare, education, and employment. Even so, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that by 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas. These are areas where the demand for clean water outweighs the supply. WOMEN AND CHILDREN HARDEST HIT Of the 663 million people without access to water, most are in rural communities, with women and children being disproportionately affected. A report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) notes that one in four—or 600 million—children will be living without basic access to water by 2040. With a 31.7 percent global gender gap, water is an essential component of achieving gender…