General Studies · Critical Reasoning

Statement: Access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities has been a major development challenge across the globe, despite significant progress made over the past two decades. Reports published by international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF highlight that millions of people, particularly in low-income countries, still lack basic facilities such as clean water supply, toilets, and hygiene infrastructure. While some nations have been able to eliminate open defecation and ensure safely managed sanitation systems, large disparities persist between richer and poorer regions. These inequalities are most visible in rural areas, where infrastructure development is slow and resources are scarce. Poor sanitation not only exposes populations to diseases but also directly affects children's health, education, and productivity levels. This situation presents a major obstacle to achieving the targets under Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which emphasizes universal access to water and sanitation. Unless stronger commitments are made by both national governments and international organizations, the likelihood of meeting these global targets remains uncertain. Which one of the following can properly be inferred from the passage?