Addressing water security in Pakistan

Pakistan is the third-most water-stressed country in the world: inefficient agriculture, rapid population growth, and unplanned urbanization give it the world’s fourth-highest rate of water consumption. Over 80 percent of the nation’s water supply is currently unsafe, and experts fear Pakistan will run out of water by 2025. In 2017, the Foundation began a series of initiatives to increase technical knowledge of water security, promote policy dialogue, and empower vulnerable communities. We are collecting baseline data on water availability, sanitation, and hygiene focusing on key issues of drinking-water safety. With the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Ministry of Climate Change, we conducted a political economy analysis of water security and governance, and our partner, the Hisaar Foundation, is currently developing recommendations for a national water policy.