PURPOSE: Backed by United Nations and World Health Assembly resolutions on drowning prevention, the celebration of World Drowning Prevention Day offers a fantastic opportunity to catalyse concrete action and generate attention globally for drowning prevention and improved water safety. In April 2021 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a historic resolution on global drowning prevention, recognizing the scale and impact of drowning globally, and calling for coordinated multisectoral action to prevent drowning – a leading cause of injury-related death and disability worldwide. The resolution invites all Member States and their partners to observe World Drowning Prevention Day annually on 25 July in accordance with national priorities, ‘…in order to raise awareness of the importance of drowning prevention and the need for urgent coordinated multisectoral action to improve water safety, with the aim of reducing preventable deaths’. And in May 2023 the 76th World Health Assembly adopted its first-ever resolution on drowning prevention, requesting governments and their partners, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), to accelerate action on drowning prevention through 2029. The resolution was sponsored by the Governments of Bangladesh and Ireland and adopted by all 194 Member States to address this public health concern.
FORUM: “Drowning prevention through shared experiences.” World Drowning Prevention Day 2025. Water is an integral part of our lives. It gives us life, but it can also take it away. While no one is immune, the stark differences between drowning rates in the highest risk countries and lowest risk countries show that drowning is not inevitable. Currently over 90% of global drowning occurs in low- and middle-income countries. And in high-income countries, drowning rates among certain age groups and among minority ethnic groups are also very high and need attention. Inform those you engage with during World Drowning Prevention Day – whatever the nature of drowning in your setting – that anyone can drown, and no one should. Drowning has claimed over 3 million lives in the past decade - mostly children and youth - demanding urgent action now. The progress we’ve made in drowning prevention is encouraging, but the truth is that: Every hour of every day, more than 30 people are still losing their lives to drowning. That’s over 300,000 people a year. This World Drowning Prevention Day, we’re sharing powerful stories about change-makers from around the world who are helping to save lives and prevent lifelong disabilities caused by drowning. From teaching communities about water safety to developing national drowning prevention plans, their combined efforts have helped to keep people safe around water. Join the voices around the world who are helping to raise awareness about drowning prevention. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #keeppeoplesafearoundwater, #DrowningPrevention, #25July.
EVENTS: On July 25th, Stay tuned to Watch the World Drowning Prevention Day 2025 celebrations in Australia marking the 25+ years of water safety strategy, in Brazil, How surfers are saving life, in Bangladesh, How Bangladesh’s Anchals are preventing childhood drowning, in Finland, making winter safer for children and their families, in Uganda, from testimony to strategy. Together, let’s make every 25 July an international opportunity to create change locally, nationally, regionally and globally on this preventable cause of mortality. Any one can drown, no one should.
SURVEY: Drowning is preventable, and is not something for which society should be prepared to adopt a fatalistic attitude. We know it is preventable using solutions that are effective, cost-effective, and scalable. Have your say on WHO campaigns; Help WHO improve the impact of our public health campaigns by responding to this survey. Take the survey!
PUBLICATIONS: According to the WHO Global status report on drowning prevention 2024, there has been a global decrease in drowning deaths since 2000. But... Over 300,000 lives are still lost each year...
PODCASTS: Nearly all drowning deaths are preventable… Your story can save a life. Listen to the audio podcast!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Join the 2025 Campaign “Drowning prevention through shared experiences”; Use the World Drowning Prevention Day Toolkit to help you capture your drowning prevention story, the Taking Part Guide to help inspire and plan activities and events. Get the communication materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
Most World Drowning Prevention Day activities focus on influencing local stakeholders, so adapting the global messages to your local setting is a powerful strategy. Use the national drowning statistics available from relevant government agencies (e.g. health or statistics bureaus); webpages of national water safety councils; and peer reviewed literature on drowning, etc…
There are many ways to act: raising awareness of the scale of the problem; recognizing and promoting knowledge and awareness that tested solutions exist to prevent drowning; working with local or national government to develop drowning prevention plans and policies; volunteering with a drowning prevention, lifesaving or search and rescue organization; knowing how to keep ourselves and our families safe in, around, or on the water. As World Drowning Prevention Day participants will have different priorities based on their contexts and setting, not all these global messages will be relevant for all activities, but they can be adapted.
Individuals can: share drowning prevention and water safety advice with their families, friends and colleagues; sign up for swimming or water safety lessons; or support local drowning prevention charities and groups.
Groups can: host public events to share water safety information; launch water safety campaigns; or commit to developing or delivering new drowning prevention programmes, using recommended best practice interventions.
Governments can: develop or announce new drowning prevention policies, strategies, legislation or investment; convene multisectoral roundtables or parliamentary discussions
Every drowning is preventable. Solutions exist. The WHO has set out six evidence-based solutions to prevent drowning, along with detailed implementation guidance on how to implement them. While implementation will vary by context, it is important that the global drowning prevention community is consistent and coherent in articulating these interventions:
1. Teaching basic swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills to school-age children.
2. Providing safe places away from water for preschool children, with capable childcare.
3. Installing barriers controlling access to water.
4. Training bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation.
5. Setting and enforcing safe boating, shipping and ferry regulations, including the wearing of personal flotation devices.
6. Building resilience and managing flood risks and other hazards