It may surprise students to realize that health problems in other countries affect them, too. Where people live and the conditions under which they live directly affect their health. The health of a population can also offer insight into a region's social, political, and economic realities. As a powerful lens into how human societies function, global health is a highly relevant topic for the social studies classroom. Nearly one-sixth of the world's population--1.2 billion people--lack access to drinking water that is safe. Understanding the need for clean water and why it is plentiful or scarce are core elements in the study of global health and wealth distribution. Worldwide, the lack of clean water and sanitation dramatically affects peoples' lives. According to UNICEF, 2.6 billion people--about 40 percent of the world's population--lack basic sanitation facilities, and 1.2 billion drink from unsafe sources of water. As a result, an estimated 3-5 million children die each year from diseases related to contaminated water. Such water contributes to diarrhea and other related illnesses. Furthermore, illness due to tainted water reduces the productivity of farmers and workers, seriously hampering the development of a community or nation. In addition, the mere act of obtaining water can have developmental repercussions. In the culture of some countries, girls and women are expected to fetch water, which may be a great distance from their homes. Such long-distance travel cuts into (and sometimes eliminates) the time they could be spending in school or engaging in other productive activities. (Contains 27 resources.)