تم النشر: 31 مايو 2013
Provisional agenda item 17.I
A66/27
Drinking-water, sanitation and health (resolution WHA64.24)
Committee A
Statement by William Carter, Health Department
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates,
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appreciates the opportunity to address the Assembly on this agenda item.
Poor access to water and sanitation contributes to over 3 million deaths each year, one of the leading causes of child mortality. Above all, water and sanitation is about human dignity – a daily human need and basic human right that when denied brings shame, disgust and stigma.
Yet progress has not been made in equal measure. The most recent assessment of progress towards the water and sanitation related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), stated that the target of halving the number of people without access to an improved water source is on course to be met by 2015. However, the goal of reducing by half the number of people without basic sanitation will fall short. The signs are clear that we need to rebalance the way we address issues of water and sanitation and align them with global issues such as health, hunger and economic growth. Despite its critical importance, sanitation continues to receive less funding and attention compared to water supply. Unless sanitation programmes are scaled up, the world’s most vulnerable will fall behind even further
We need to explore, develop and advocate for ways of redressing this imbalance by adapting present delivery models and piloting new ones that can address this global challenge at a greater scale. We must also foster partnerships between governments, the private sector, academia and other stakeholders worldwide. Most importantly, we need to give sanitation the funding and focus it deserves.
The IFRC calls on governments, donors, and communities to get the balance right between action on sanitation and on water. Sanitation activities should be at least as well funded as water supply, and we believe this balance in funding can be achieved by 2015 so that the next global push for universal access to water and sanitation will focus equally on both aspects.
A modern world needs sanitation and sanitation requires time, effort and resources. There is much more work to do.
Thank you.