This year, for the first time around the world, World Drowning Prevention Day is marked – July 25, under the slogan “Everyone can drown, but no one needs to.”
The United Nations has declared this date World Drowning Prevention Day and adopted a Resolution to draw attention to the importance of drowning prevention and highlight the need for additional activities and resources.
Resolution link:
On that occasion, the United Nations expressed deep concern over the fact that drowning has been the cause of death in 2.5 million people over the past decade. The World Health Organization points out that 235,600 people died because of drowning during 2019, and that drowning is one of the ten leading causes of death for children and youth between the ages of 1-24. Over 90% of drowning deaths occur in rivers, lakes and pools.
All actors are invited to mark World Drowning Day – the Government, UN agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector and individuals – emphasizing the need for urgent, coordinated and multisector action based on proven measures such as:
- setting up barriers that control access to water,
- providing places for children away from water,
- learning to swim, water safety and safe rescue skills,
- training in safe rescue,
- setting up and enforcing safe navigation regulations,
- Improving flood risk management.
The International Life Saving Federation (ILS) strongly recomends the adoption of the Resolution calling on the World Health Organization to assist member states in activities to prevent drowning and to coordinate activities with the UN system.
The Red Cross of Montenegro, as a member of the ILS, also fully supports the adoption of the Resolution, and its activities contribute to the prevention of drowning.
This year, as the only organization responsible for the training of lifeguards, through 4 trainings and 16 checks for the verification of licenses for lifeguards, we have prepared 571 lifeguards for work on the arranged swimming areas.
In order to prevent drowning, we appeal to all swimmers to respect the regulations and respect the measures set by the prominent flags on the arranged swimming areas.