World Drowning Prevention Day | 25 July
Drowning takes more than 300 000 lives a year – 30 every hour – and almost a quarter of them are children under five. Globally, it is among the ten leading causes of death for children aged 5-14 years.
More than 90% of drowning deaths occur in rivers, lakes, wells, domestic water storage vessels and swimming pools in low- and middle-income countries, with children and adolescents in rural areas disproportionately affected.
The theme for World Drowning Prevention Day 2026 is “Unite to turn the tide.”
The Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention calls every sector and every level of society to one goal: unite to reduce drowning by 35% by 2035.
Closing the gap depends on all of us doing our part – every person, in every place, in every context.
World Drowning Prevention Day, declared through the April 2021 UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/75/273 “Global drowning prevention”, is held annually on 25 July. This global advocacy event serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.
All stakeholders – governments, UN agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia and individuals – are invited to mark World Drowning Prevention Day by highlighting the need for urgent, coordinated and multi-sectoral action on proven measures 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.
