“Do one thing” to save lives.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children and young people aged 1-24 years. Every year, an estimated 236,000 people drown.
More than 90% of drowning deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with children under the age of five being at highest risk. These deaths are frequently linked to daily, routine activities, such as bathing, collecting water for domestic use, travelling over water on boats or ferries, and fishing. The impacts of seasonal or extreme weather events – including monsoons – are also a frequent cause of drowning.
Most of these deaths are preventable, through evidence-based, low-cost solutions, such as:
- installing barriers controlling access to water
- providing safe places away from water such as crèches for pre-school children with capable childcare
- teaching swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills
- training bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation
- setting and enforcing safe boating, shipping and ferry regulations
- improving flood risk management
Key messages
Individuals can:
share drowning prevention and water safety advice with their families, friends and colleagues; sign up for swimming or water safety lessons; or support local drowning prevention charities and group
Groups can:
host public events to share water safety information; launch water safety campaigns; or commit to developing or delivering new drowning prevention programmes, using recommended best practice interventions.
Governments can:
develop or announce new drowning prevention policies, strategies, legislation or investment; convene multisectoral roundtables or parliamentary discussions on drowning burden and solutions; and introduce or commit to supporting drowning prevention programming domestically or internationally.
Publications
Preventing drowning: Practical guidance for the provision of day-care, basic swimming and water safety skills, and safe rescue and resuscitation training. Read More and Download.
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