SCIENCE TALK A New Way to Think About and Measure Water Security

Water insecurity is an increasingly urgent global challenge, affecting the health, well-being, and livelihoods of millions of people. Yet, unlike many other development issues, comparable data on people’s experiences with water access and use have long been lacking, leaving critical water-related problems largely invisible. In this talk, Professor Sera L. Young will introduce the Water InSecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales, the first globally comparable tool for measuring water insecurity, now implemented in more than 90 countries worldwide. Drawing on evidence from diverse settings, Professor Young will demonstrate how the WISE Scales can be used to estimate the prevalence of water insecurity, guide resource allocation, and evaluate the effectiveness of water interventions. She will discuss the links between water insecurity and nutrition, mental health, and physical health, and explore the implications of growing water challenges in the context of climate change. The talk will conclude with reflections on the policy relevance of measuring human experiences with water and the future of global water insecurity research and training.