- Published on 17 July 2023
The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation raises awareness of drowning risks during the summer of 2023 with a new video campaign
The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation has created a new campaign of prevention videos, broadcast locally and online during the summer, to reinforce awareness messages related to drowning risks.
Three short videos were made to remind the public that children under 6 years old are the main victims of drowning, and that parental vigilance is paramount. Different situations make it possible to trigger different messages: “Never take your eyes off your children”, “Always be prudent near water”, “26% of drownings take place in swimming pools”.
A fourth video targets young people, highlighting the need to monitor the impact that heat and sun have on their physical conditions: “Strong heat = risk of hydrocution”.
These videos can be found on the Foundation’s social media channels (Instagram, Facebook) and on the Foundation’s YouTube channel.
World Drowning Prevention Day will take place on July 25.
This day is an opportunity to recall the impact of drowning on families and communities, and to propose positive and practical solutions to promote safety in and around water. This date was proclaimed in April 2021 by the United Nations, with the adoption of the Resolution on Global Drowning Prevention which calls on all Member States to take national and local measures to address this silent epidemic.
In May 2023, this resolution was supported and confirmed by a new World Health Assembly resolution to accelerate action for global drowning prevention, while building on the progress made since 2021.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 236,000 drowning deaths occur each year worldwide. Drowning has caused 2.5 million deaths in the last decade and is one of the leading causes of child mortality in many countries. 90% of drowning deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and particularly affect children between the ages of 1 and 4.
In France, figures from Santé Publique France (from the 2021 Drowning Survey) confirm that drownings are preventable and occur mainly during the summer: “accidental drownings are responsible each year for about 1,000 deaths (including about 400 during the summer period), making it the leading cause of death by accident in everyday life among youth under 25 years of age. In 2021, the survey (conducted during the summer) recorded 1,480 accidental drownings, 27% of which led to a death. Total accidental drownings were more prevalent among the youngest and oldest and those followed by deaths rather the oldest: children under 6 years of age accounted for 22% of accidental drownings and 6% of deaths vs. 26% and 41% respectively among those aged 65 and older. »
The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, in accordance with WHO recommandations and alongside other international organizations and national rescue societies, recalls the essential safety measures and gestures to prevent drowning:
- Learn to swim, and if possible learn the basics of rescue
- Never take your eyes off your children
- Always check your children’s buoyancy equipment
- Avoid swimming alone
- Be way of your physical condition
- Do not swim immediately after eating
- Do not consume alcohol before and during swimming
- In case of emergency, call 112 without delay
In a pool
- Swim at the same time as your children
- Designate an adult responsible for supervision
- Never leave your children unattended
- Be especially vigilant in ‘above ground’ swimming pools that do not have safety devices
At sea
- Respect signs and swimming bans
- Swim in supervised swimming areas
- Swim accompanied or by indicating your bathing place
- Swim with a swim buoy, in open water
- Swim parallel to shore and not out to sea