WUNRN
WEDO - Women's Environment &
Development Organization
Direct Link to the Open Letter
Supporting the Resolution "The Human Right to Water & Sanitation"
- http://www.blueplanetproject.net/RightToWater/Endorsement.pdf
“This is the first time the General Assembly has been asked directly to deal with this issue and presents a huge test for the world,” says Maude Barlow, who served as Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of the UN General Assembly.
Gender and Water
The right and access to clean water is intrinsically linked to gender
equality. In many cultures, women and girls are responsible for collecting
water for cooking, cleaning, drinking, hygiene, and growing food. However, decisions
made about water and sanitation services continue to neglect gendered
needs and concerns – largely because women are regularly left out of those
policy-making spheres.
Women often have to travel long distances to collect water for their communities. Studies show that women in developing countries on average carry 20 litres of water per day over 6 km. This adds an incredible burden to women, particularly limiting the amount of time they have to spend on education. Traveling to collect water, often to remote areas, also puts women at risk for physical and sexual violence, along with added strains on their physical health.
Climate change and biodiversity loss have caused huge changes in our water resources with increased droughts and floods, while at the same time reducing water access and quality. This has put further stress on women’s role as resource managers and increased the time devoted to collecting and managing water.
Importantly though, women have shown strong leadership both in terms of
advocacy towards the protection and conservation of natural resources
as well as innovation in the water sector. For example, in
ACT NOW
For the first time since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted
60 years ago, the UN General Assembly is finally poised to recognize the Human
Right to Water and Sanitation.
To mark this event, international and community groups are kicking off a Global
Week of Action for the Human Right to Water and Sanitation from July 21st until
the historic vote on July 28th. Actions include: sign an open statement from elected
representatives in support of the human right to water and sanitation, send letters directly to UN missions,
and, perhaps most importantly, contact your government to urge them
to support this historic Resolution.
To find resources for all the above action items and to get more information on how you can help, WEDO urges to you visit the website of our partner, Blue Planet Project
About Blue Planet Project
The Blue Planet Project is an international civil society movement begun by The
Council of Canadians to protect the world’s fresh water from the growing
threats of trade and privatization.
They work with organizations and activists in both South and North, and are affiliated with international networks including Friends of the Earth International, Red Vida (the Americas Network on the Right to Water) and the People’s Health Movement.
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