Since 1990, almost 2 billion people globally have gained access to improved sanitation, and 2.3 billion have gained access to drinking-water from improved sources, according to a new WHO/UNICEF report, entitled Progress on drinking water and sanitation: 2014 update, which also highlights a narrowing disparity in access to cleaner water and better sanitation between rural and urban areas. Despite this progress, sharp geographic, socio-cultural, and economic inequalities in access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities still persist around the world.

This 2014 update report of the World Health Organization (WHO)/United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, known as the JMP, is split into three sections. The first section presents the status of and  trends in access to improved  drinking water sources and sanitation. The second section provides a snapshot of inequalities in access to improved drinking water sources and sanitation. The final section presents efforts to strengthen monitoring of access to safe drinking water and sanitation services under a post-2015 development agenda, as well as the challenges associated with these efforts. Annexes at the back of the report provide supplementary information on the JMP method, MDG regional groupings, data tables and trend figures.

You can download the full report , read a press release summarising the findings or look at country or topic specific date online.