Ugandan children collecting water. Photo by Brooke Bocast (CC).
The United Nations Development Programme's 2006 Human Development Report focuses on the world's most precious natural resource: fresh, potable water. Millions each day go without the water they need. The report indicates that the scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power, poverty, and inequality, not in physical availability. Crafting intelligent policies to deliver this essential service depends on recognizing water's centrality in health, justice, and economic development.
