Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The World Bank, the World Health Organisation(WHO) and the United Nations International Childrens Fund (UNICEF) have asked countries to scale up investments that would achieve universal access to safe drinking water and mitigate the effects of climate change.
In a joint report released yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, the agencies said that governments must invest strategically in building safe drinking water systems by not only increasing funding, but also strengthening capacities to plan, coordinate, and regulate service provision, if the world is to achieve universal access to safe drinking water and mitigate the effects of climate change.
In a statement on the State of the World’s Drinking Water report made available to THISDAY in Abuja, the agencies said that over two billion people have gained access to safe drinking water in the past two decades.
According to the agencies, the progress being made is fragile and inequitable with one-quarter of the world’s population left behind.
WHO Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, Dr. Maria Neira, said: “Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, which exacerbate water insecurity, disrupt supplies and devastate communities.
“Meanwhile rapid urbanisation is increasing the strain on cities’ capacity to deliver water to the millions of people living in in-formal communities and slums.
“Providing greater access to safe drinking water has saved many lives, most of them children. But climate change is eating into those achievements.
“We have to accelerate our efforts to ensure every person has reliable access to safe drinking water something that is a human right, not a luxury.”
He said that the report provided a comprehensive review of the links between water, health, and development, with actionable recommendations for governments and partners, illustrated by examples of how countries are contributing to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reaching safely managed drinking water for all by 2030.
“Investing in water and sanitation is critical to health, economic growth and the environment,” he added.
The Global Director, World Bank Group’s Water Global Practice, Saroj Kumar Jha, said that it is healthier children that become healthier adults who then contribute more to the economy and society, adding, “this principle is at the core of the World Bank’s Human Capital Project.”
He further said that governments and private sector must take critical action now to accelerate inclusive and sustainable water supply and sanitation services in both urban and rural areas.
He added that in order to provide universal access to safe drinking water by 2030, governments and partners must dramatically increase political commitment to drinking water and quadruple investments.
The report provided comprehensive recommendations to enact sustainable improvements that address infrastructure, governance, finance, capacity development, data and information, and innovation, even with limited budgets.
Some of the overarching recommendations include: strengthen existing institutions by filling gaps, facilitating coordination, establishing a regulatory environment supported by legislation and standards for service quality, and ensuring enforcement.
It also recommended increase in funding from all sources dramatically, with water service providers improving efficiency and performance, and governments providing a stable and transparent administrative, regulatory and policy environment.
In addition, the report recommended building of capacity within the water sector by developing a capable and motivated workforce through a range of capacity-development approaches based on innovation and collaboration.
It urged countries to ensure that relevant data and information are available to better understand inequalities in drinking water services and make evidence-based decisions and encourage innovation and experimentation through supportive government policy and regulation, accompanied by rigorous monitoring and evaluation.
On his part, UNICEF Interim Director of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and Climate, Environment, Energy, and Disaster Risk Reduction (CEED), Aidan Cronin, said that “No child should be faced with the choice of drinking dirty water – a leading killer of children – or making dangerous journeys to collect water and missing out on school.
“Accessible and reliable safe drinking water is fundamental to ensuring children are healthy, educated, and thriving.”
