In the last five years, some 20 million children have died of preventable waterborne diseases, and hundreds of millions of people continue to live with the daily misery and squalor associated with the lack of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation. ”
स्टेट ऑफ द वर्ल्ड २००५ या पुस्तकाच्या प्रस्तावनेत म्हटल्यानुसार: “दारिद्र्‌य आजही अनेक क्षेत्रात प्रगतीला खीळ घालत आहे.