Disasters and crises — whether natural or man-made — threaten health, dignity, and access to safe water and sanitation. Without a strong, coordinated response, emergencies can deepen inequality, increase vulnerability, and delay recovery. Climate change is driving more frequent, severe, and complex disasters and epidemics.
As a result, demand for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in emergencies is rising, and delivering them is becoming increasingly challenging. Floods alone accounted for 48% of IFRC-led operations with a WASH component between 2015 and 2024.
The IFRC WASH Surge system empowers National Societies to respond quickly and effectively to crises by deploying skilled personnel, pre-positioned equipment, and technical support, reaching nearly 2 million people every year.
This advocacy brochure outlines our approach to reducing health risks and restoring dignity through rapid, reliable WASH response in emergencies.
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