May 15, 2016 – International Water Safety Day (IWSD) celebrated on May 15th each year is designed to help spread global awareness of the ongoing drowning pandemic, and educate the youth in becoming safer in and around water. The lack of water safety education has propelled drownings worldwide and is why IWSD is a global team effort. Drowning is preventable. Prevention is vital.
The World Health Organization released its Global Drowning Report with frightening statistics.
- Every hour, every day, more than 40 people lose their lives to drowning;
- 372,000 people drown each year, with those under 5 years at greatest risk;
- Globally, over half of all drowning deaths are among those aged under 25 years;
- Males are 2 times more likely to drown than females;
- More than 90% of drowning occurs in low- and middle-income countries IWSD aims to strengthen public awareness, highlight the vulnerability of children, and emphasize water safety education be taught in primary and secondary schools. Through interdependence, we can collectively make a difference!
How You Can Help Raise Awareness on May 15th
- Use the hash tags #IWSD and #stopdrowning
- Share our Drowning Pandemic video
- Share our “10 Water Safety Rules” flyer and Eve & Candace’s video
- Read this message during your school’s morning announcements
- Download one of our logos to add to your website
“Striving to make a planet that’s 70% water, 100% water safe.”
Swimming news courtesy of International Water Safety Foundation.
