Actions for technical partners
Drowning doesn’t have a single cause, or a single solution. But it can be prevented.
In recognition of this, for World Drowning Prevention Day in 2022, the World Health Organization called on stakeholders to “Do one thing” to improve the safety of people in and around water. Guidance was offered on what individuals, groups, and governments could do – and the global response was tremendous.
Some governments started the process of developing national strategies for drowning prevention. Groups hosted public awareness events and launched water safety campaigns. Countless individuals took action by learning and sharing new skills (swimming, safe rescue and resuscitation), or providing support to a drowning prevention group or activity.
One problem, many solutions.
Building on this momentum, WHO now asks countries and partners to respond to our call to action for global drowning prevention:
What do we mean by this?
If you are not yet involved in drowning prevention then “Do one thing”. There’s so much that can be done, whether you are an individual, a group (organization or community) or a government.
If you’ve already started to work in your area on drowning prevention, then “Improve one thing”. There’s always an opportunity to engage a broader range of partners, identify parts of your efforts that are not working as well as they should, or connect with a high-risk group for drowning that your efforts haven’t reached yet.
And if you are deeply engaged with drowning prevention and have a mature programme or a portfolio of programmes, then “Add one thing”. Look for ways of adding to your portfolio of action, tackle a new part of the drowning context in your setting, or broaden your efforts to reduce drowning in other settings. There’s always more that can be done.
Individuals can:
Do one thing.
- Share our campaign material
- Enroll in a swimming and water safety class
- Support local drowning prevention group
Improve one thing.
- Share water safety advice in your community
- Advocate for the benefits of improving your swimming and water safety skills based on personal experience
- Become an active member of a local drowning prevention group
Add one thing.
- Expand your knowledge on drowning prevention through reviewing resources on the WHO website
- Hold a community event to commemorate World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July
Groups can:
Do one thing.
- Host a public event to share water safety information
- Launch a drowning prevention campaign
- Commit to delivering a new drowning prevention programme
Improve one thing.
- Expand an existing drowning prevention programme
- Identify a new partner for collaboration
- Take time to evaluate and reflect on current efforts, considering how these could be improved
Add one thing.
- Address a local drowning prevention priority which is currently neglected
- Support the work of another organization or community
- Contribute to regional or global drowning prevention efforts
Governments can:
Do one thing.
- Develop or announce a new drowning prevention policy, strategy or legislation
- Convene a national multisectoral roundtable on drowning and its prevention
- Commit to support a drowning prevention programme domestically or internationally
Improve one thing.
- Establish an evaluation mechanism for new and existing drowning prevention efforts
- Strengthen advocacy for government-led drowning prevention efforts
- Upscale an existing, successful drowning prevention programme
Add one thing.
- Coordinate a national campaign to commemorate World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July
- Share key successes in government-led drowning prevention initiatives
- Investigate how international drowning prevention efforts can be supported from your country
Going blue for drowning prevention
To mark World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July, cities around the world are invited to illuminate notable landmarks in blue light to draw attention to drowning as a leading cause of death.
Every city is invited to have one or more notable landmarks illuminated in blue light during the evening of 25 July. Landmarks near water or which have symbolic meaning for the city are especially encouraged.
Make sure to engage with local media in advance of World Drowning Prevention Day to communicate the meaning of this symbolic gesture. Media coverage on the purpose of this gesture is important for advocacy. We also invite you to document the evening on social media using the hashtag #drowningprevention.
