The 2025 report from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) on Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene offers a detailed overview of both global progress and persisting inequalities from 2000 to 2024. Focusing on households, the report highlights remarkable improvements, as well as the urgent need for action in communities that remain underserved by basic WASH services. Progress Over Two Decades Significant progress has been made globally in water, sanitation, and hygiene. Between 2000 and 2024, one in every four people worldwide gained access to safely managed drinking water, and one in three to safely managed sanitation services. Since 2015, 961 million people have gained access to improved drinking water, 1.2 billion to improved sanitation, and 1.5 billion to basic hygiene services. The number of people practicing open defecation has declined by 429 million, demonstrating the impact of ongoing public health efforts. Persistent Inequities Despite these gains, inequalities remain a central challenge. As of 2024, 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, and 3.4 billion people do not have access to safely managed sanitation. Disparities are most pronounced in low-income and rural areas, particularly in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where only 44% have access to basic hygiene. In the world’s least-developed countries, only 37% enjoy even the most basic hygiene facilities. Open defecation remains an issue for millions, largely in the poorest and most fragile contexts. Focus on Menstrual Health The report introduces important data on menstrual health, which highlights significant challenges facing women and girls. While many now have access to menstrual hygiene materials, only a portion have enough materials or a private space at home for proper management. These gaps are particularly acute in low-income communities, affecting the ability of girls to fully participate in school and daily life during menstruation. Addressing these challenges is crucial for ensuring equality and dignity for all. Looking Ahead: The Work Still to Be Done Achieving universal access to safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene by 2030 remains an ambitious goal. The pace of progress in some regions will need to accelerate dramatically - by up to 18 times for certain indicators in the world’s poorest countries. Prioritising the needs of the most marginalised populations, investing in infrastructure, and strengthening data collection will be key to closing these gaps. The 2025 JMP Report reminds the world that behind every statistic is a person waiting for their right to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. Turning these insights into action is essential for building a healthier, more equitable future. This article is written by Chaitali Mondal, Consultant, SPM NIWAS, Kolkata [Published in NIWAS Vartika - Vol-I, Issue-2 (Jul-Sept'25): A WASH magazine by SPM NIWAS, MoJS, GoI]