COP31: African youths map water challenges in 51 countries, seek greater role in policy decisions
Seventy-one percent of Nigerians have access to at least basic drinking water services, according to the 2024 Demographic and Health Survey. That sounds like progress until you look closer. Only 38 percent of households actually have water on their premises, and just 66 percent reported having sufficient quantities when they needed it. The gap between "access" and reliable, everyday water tells a more complicated story.
It is against this backdrop that African youth advocates are pushing for a louder voice in the policy conversations that shape their reality. Across 51 countries on the continent, young people are actively mapping water challenges, gathering on-the-ground data that governments and international bodies often overlook.
With COP31 on the horizon, these advocates are making the case that youth inclusion in climate and water policy is not optional. The numbers from Nigeria alone show why that seat at the table matters.
Originally published by Premium Times.