The UN campaign, led by UNICEF and UN Women, spotlights that the water crisis affects everyone, but not equally, and calls for women’s leadership in water decisions.
India is entering a phase experts call “water bankruptcy” we are using far more water than nature can replenish. In many states, borewells are drying up, groundwater is falling, and communities especially women and girls face the greatest daily burden. That is why 2026 focuses on Water and Gender: when water flows safely, equality grows.
Government action + community leadership
The Government of India is expanding programmes like Jal Jeevan Mission and Atal Bhujal Yojana to strengthen drinking water access and groundwater stewardship. A major shift is underway: village‑level water budgeting helping communities measure what water they have, how much they use, and how to manage it sustainably. Embedding women’s voice and leadership in these local decisions is core to the 2026 theme: “Water and Gender, Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.”
Why this matters: when women participate in water planning, services tend to be more inclusive, sustainable, and effective, advancing SDG 6 (water and sanitation) and SDG 5 (gender equality).
Smarter agriculture for a water‑secure, gender‑equal future
Agriculture uses around 80% of India’s water. Supporting farmers to adopt efficient irrigation, regenerative practices, and crop choices that match local water availability reduces pressure on aquifers—and on the unpaid time women spend coping with scarcity. This turns the 2026 theme into action: water security that enables opportunity for women and girls.
Business as a partner in stewardship
Businesses have a vital role in protecting shared water resources.
Hindustan Unilever Limited through the Hindustan Unilever Foundation is committed to water stewardship. Our ambition is to impact 100 water‑stressed locations by 2030, working with governments, NGOs, and communities to:
- restore local sources and recharge watersheds,
- support water quality monitoring, and
- promote sustainable sourcing aligned with local water realities.
Across this work, HUL and the Hindustan Unilever Foundation (HUF) prioritise women’s leadership and participation.
Building India’s water‑resilient, gender‑equal future
Protecting India’s water requires a mindset shift: manage every drop, include every voice. When government programmes, community action, and business leadership centre women and girls in water decisions, we rebuild healthy aquifers, ensure reliable supply for households and farms, and unlock opportunities for all. That is the promise of World Water Day 2026: Water and Gender, Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.
Click to know more about the Hindustan Unilever Foundation.