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Africa & Water . Geography: Water. Victoria Falls. The Nile is one of the two longest rivers on Earth Lake Victoria is 2nd largest fresh-water lake , Victoria Falls one of most spectacular waterfalls
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Geography: Water Victoria Falls • The Nile is one of the two longest rivers on Earth • Lake Victoria is 2nd largest fresh-water lake, Victoria Falls one of most spectacular waterfalls • Lake Tanganyika in central Africa is estimated to be the 2nd oldest (and 2nd deepest) lake in the world • Africa has about 40 percent of the world’s hydroelectric potential, but only a small proportion has been developed
The Eight Millennium Development Goals • Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • 2. Achieve universal primary education • 3. Promote gender equality and empower women • 4. Reduce child mortality • 5. Improve maternal health • 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases • 7. Ensure environmental sustainability • 8. Develop a global partnership for development
Significant progress has been made in achieving many of the goals, but progress is not uniform across world. Sub-Saharan Africais epicenterof crisis; it’s the only region not on track to achieve any of the goals.
7. Ensure environmental sustainability: Water • TARGETS: • By 2015, HALVEthe proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation • STOP unsustainable exploitation of water resources by developing water management strategies and local, regional, and national levels which promote both equitable accessand adequate supplies.
STATISTICS • 2.6 billion (globally) lack access to basic sanitation. • 1.1 billion people (globally) lack access to safe water. • The UN estimates that by 2025, about 1 in 2 Africans will be living in countries that are confronted with water stress or water scarcity. • In Africa, water scarcity afflicts 300 million people and claims at least 6,000 lives a year. Data Source: UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Final Report, Abridged Edition: Health, Dignity, and Development: What Will It Take?, 2005.
Every year millions of people, most of them children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. Every day some 3,900 childrendie because of dirty water or poor hygiene. Diseases transmitted through water or human excrement are the second-leading cause of death among children worldwide.
Access to Improved drinking water by region, 2002 Table from UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Final Report, Abridged Edition: Health, Dignity, and Development: What Will It Take?, 2005.
Access to Improved sanitation by region, 2002 Table from UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Final Report, Abridged Edition: Health, Dignity, and Development: What Will It Take?, 2005.
The UN places a high priority on water resources management, water supply and sanitation for the poor.
Why: Expanding access to water and sanitation is a moral and ethical imperative rooted in the cultural and religious traditions of societies around the world. Virtually all of the world’s spiritual and cultural systems embody values and imperatives recognizing human dignity, equity, compassion, and solidarity. Example Africa: Ubuntu
Inadequate water supplies are both cause and an effect of poverty Lack of Water Poverty Effects of inadequate water - dehydration, disease, time & energy expended in water collection, high unit costs, and more - further exacerbate the poverty trap
BENEFITS of Achieving Goal 7 Achieving the global MDG target on water and sanitation would bring substantial economic gains: • each $1 invested would yield an economic return of between $3 and $34, depending on the region • health-related costs avoided: $7.3 billion/year • the annual global value of adult working days gained because of less illness: $750 million • time savings (resulting from the relocation of a well or borehole to a site closer to user communities, the installation of piped water supply in houses, and latrines closer to home): $64 billion
Challenges that many youth face: • Not engagedor allowed to be engaged in national policy-making • Disillusionedwith politics and policy-making • APATHETICnot as involved as they should or could be. • Unempowered
Importance of Youth: • One young person can change the world: full ofideas,energy, andoptimism. • Young people have theright to participate fully in societyand to express their opinions about matters related to their lives. • Participation by young people is aninvestment in a country’s future and the decisions/actions today affect their tomorrow. • They canhold governments accountablefor current policies and promises that have implications for the future (such as nat’l aid commitments for the MDGs).
Key pillars of youth involvement: PARTNERSHIPS ADVOCACY
ADVOCACY Build awareness on water issues via formal and informal channels using Media and Technology Aid in policy-making Challenge government leaders on water and sanitation commitments PARTNERSHIPS (Grassroots work) Initiate/engage in social and environmental micro water projects Educating others about water-related projects/issues Communicate with advocates and policy-makers on practical strategies
“Young people face so many difficult decisions to make in life today… [and] they have the most vital role to play in helping shape the future.” -- Nelson Mandela
