By Nicholas Biswas
World Drowning Prevention Day, observed every year on July 25, should be more than a symbolic observance.
A viral CCTV video recently shook many people across Bangladesh. It depicted a small child struggling in a pond while another stood on the bank, screaming and helplessly tossing objects into the water in a desperate attempt to save his drowning friend. Although people were nearby houses, no one heard the cries. Eventually, a man came out from a nearby house and intervened. However, the video does not reveal whether the child ultimately survived.
This was not an isolated incident in the country. Rather, it reflects a daily, tragic reality that unfolds across Bangladesh. Countless children lose their lives to drowning without making headlines or attracting public attention. For grieving families, these deaths represent lifelong heartbreak; nationally, they are often reduced to little more than statistics.
Drowning remains one of the leading causes of child mortality. While infectious diseases, malnutrition, and road traffic injuries receive significant public attention and policy focus, drowning continues to exist largely in the shadows. Public health experts emphasize that it is among the most preventable causes of childhood death, provided that communities invest in awareness, safer environments, and proven preventive interventions.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 300,000 people die from drowning every year worldwide, with children and adolescents accounting for a significant proportion of these deaths. Approximately 90 per cent of global drowning fatalities occur in low and middle-income countries. Bangladesh, with its extensive network of rivers, canals, ponds, wetlands, and seasonal floodwaters, faces particularly acute risks.
An everyday hazard in the family backyard
National studies and analyses by international organizations indicate that drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children aged one to four years. In rural communities, most incidents occur in ponds, ditches, canals, or other water bodies located only a few meters from the child's home.
Research has repeatedly shown that the danger is rarely distant; it is often found in the family's own backyard. The risk escalates dramatically during the monsoon season, from April to September. Heavy rainfall, flooding, and waterlogging create numerous temporary water bodies throughout the country.
Courtyards, roads, agricultural fields, and open spaces quickly become flooded, transforming surroundings into hidden hazards. Curious children often wander away while playing, and only a few minutes without adult supervision can lead to irreversible tragedy.
Experts have long identified the period between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm as the highest-risk window for child drowning. During these hours, many parents and caregivers are occupied with household chores or agricultural work, leaving their children unsupervised. A lapse of only two or three minutes can change a family's life forever and fall into a grave sadness.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of drowning is its silence. Contrary to dramatic portrayals in films, drowning victims - especially children - rarely scream or wave their arms. They often slip beneath the surface quietly, unnoticed by those nearby. As a result, even when adults are close, they may not recognize that a child is in danger until it is too late. For this reason, the WHO has described drowning as a "silent but preventable public health crisis".
Recognizing the global scale of the problem, the United Nations General Assembly designated July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day in 2021. The significance of this day is particularly profound. Climate change is intensifying floods, extreme rainfall, and prolonged waterlogging, increasing children's exposure to drowning hazards.
Protecting children from drowning should therefore no longer be viewed as a seasonal concern; it must become a national public health priority and an integral part of the country's child survival agenda.
Why do these deaths continue? What the evidence tells us
The overwhelming majority of child drowning deaths globally are not caused by cyclones, river disasters, or capsized boats. They occur during the most ordinary moments of everyday life. A pond beside the house, a roadside ditch, an irrigation canal, a waterlogged field, or even a rain-filled pit can become a deadly trap for a curious child.
Children between the ages of one to four are particularly vulnerable. At this stage of development, they are naturally curious, increasingly mobile, and eager to explore, yet they possess little understanding of danger. A caregiver distracted for only a few minutes may unknowingly leave a child exposed to life-threatening hazards.
Bangladesh's geography further amplifies this risk. As one of the world's largest riverine countries, it is interlaced with thousands of water bodies. During the monsoon, increasingly erratic rainfall and frequent flooding create temporary hazards in the surroundings.
Note that Bangladesh has already demonstrated that these interventions work. Pilot programs implemented by research institutions have shown remarkable success. In particular, the Anchal (a model of community childcare) and the SwimSafe program - pioneered by the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) - have significantly lowered drowning risks among young children. The solutions already exist; what is needed now is sustained political commitment, adequate investment, and nationwide implementation.
Prevention is the best solution
The encouraging news is that drowning is one of the most preventable forms of accidental death. Simple, evidence-based interventions can dramatically reduce fatalities. To convert evidence into impact, and action must occur across several key pillars; like -
Parental vigilance: Continuous supervision remains the first line of defense. Children under five should never be left alone near water, even for a few minutes.
Safer environments: Fencing hazardous water bodies, setting up safe play zones, and integrating child safety into rural infrastructure planning.
Swimming education: In a riverine nation, learning to swim is an essential life-saving skill. Age-appropriate swimming lessons can significantly reduce the risk.
Expanding childcare: Scaling community daycare models like Anchal provides supervised care during the peak morning risk window.
Emergency readiness: Equipping teachers, volunteers, and local leaders with basic rescue and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) skills ensures rapid intervention.
Drowning prevention must be elevated to a national public health priority through a multi-sectoral strategy involving health, education, local government, and disaster management ministries. Timely rescue, followed by appropriate first aid and CPR, can make the difference between life and death.
From awareness to action
World Drowning Prevention Day, observed every year on 25 July, should be more than a symbolic observance. It should serve as a powerful reminder that every preventable death represents a collective failure - and every life saved reflects a collective commitment.
The observance should extend beyond seminars and ceremonial events. It should inspire nationwide awareness campaigns, school-based water safety education, community mobilization, media engagement, and stronger public investment in proven programs.
Awareness has lasting value only when it translates into concrete action. In 2023, the 76th World Health Assembly adopted a Resolution to accelerate further action through 2029.
Through the resolution, WHO committed to establishing a Global Alliance for drowning prevention with organizations of the UN systems, international development partners, and NGOs as well. Drowning prevention must be elevated to a national strategy spanning health, education, local government, and disaster management ministries.
Conclusion
On this World Drowning Prevention Day, let us renew our collective commitment to ensuring that no child loses their life simply because of inadequate supervision as well as unsafe surroundings. Through informed families, safer communities, swimming and water safety education, effective emergency response, and strong political leadership, we can substantially reduce drowning deaths and protect our most valuable resource - our children.
Every child's life is precious. No preventable drowning death should ever be accepted as inevitable.
(Nicholas Biswas is a development practitioner and recipient of the UNFPA Media Award. He can be reached at [email protected])
