Nearly Two Million Children Die Each Year Due to Lack of Clean Water

缺少清洁用水每年近两百万儿童死亡

A new United Nations report says nearly two million children die each year because they have no access to clean water. The 2006 Human Development Report, released Thursday in South Africa, says most of the deaths are caused by diarrhea and dysentery brought on by dirty water.

The report's lead author, Kevin Watkins, said that the reason behind the water crisis is not a shortage of water, but a lack of will on the part of governments to provide water to people. The report calls on the international community to do more to help solve the problem by doubling annual contributions for water and sanitation.

一份新的联合国报告说，每年有将近两百万儿童因为得不到清洁的水而死亡。星期四在南非发表的2006年人类发展报告说，大多数死亡原因是由于脏水导致的腹泻和痢疾。

报告的主要撰写人华特金斯说，水危机的原因并不是缺水，而是由于政府缺乏为人们提供清洁用水的意愿。该报告呼吁国际社会在清洁用水和卫生方面每年增加一倍的资金。