This report encapsulates the salient points, challenges, and potential solutions that emerged from a dialogue session focused on water and its role in public health. The session’s primary objective was to ideate and suggest novel and transformative solutions that could rapidly mitigate the existing and upcoming difficulties in the realm of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).
Guided by influential figures in international public service and moderated by Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, the discussion highlighted the hurdles faced in the current landscape, with an emphasis on marginalized communities. It sought to not only identify these issues but also propose actionable measures to tackle them.
1- Session Goals:
The objective of the session was to devise and suggest inventive, transformative solutions to promptly address present and future challenges. The dialogue was co-led by Miguel Ceara Hatton, Dominican Republic’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, and Zac Goldsmith, UK Minister for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment. The conversation was guided by Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
2- Critical Observations:
The dialogue commenced mid-way through the ‘Decade for Water and Sanitation’. However, due to factors such as the COVID pandemic, fiscal complications, and infrastructural deficits—most notably in developing nations—we are significantly lagging in our progress. Marginalised communities, including women, people with disabilities, and indigenous peoples, bear the brunt of poor Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) conditions. Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, identified political conflicts and climate change as drivers of displacement, further endangering women and children. Waterborne illnesses, exacerbated by untreated wastewater, also impact children under five.
The threats to water resources stem from a variety of human, animal, and industrial activities, all of which affect the quality and quantity of water available. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need to address diseases with complex transmission patterns spanning humans, animals, and the environment.
3- Key Challenges:
Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, pointed out that the problems we face today are a result of past solutions. We must strive for enduring, far-reaching solutions. Maria Neira from WHO emphasized the need to boost investments in WASH and stimulate interactive dialogue rather than focusing on the grim statistics. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) indicates that action must be quadrupled to achieve the goals for the decade.
4- Proposed Solutions:
Abida Sidik Mia, Minister for Water and Sanitation in Malawi, accentuated the need for investment in WASH infrastructure to combat waterborne diseases such as cholera, which are triggered by climate disasters like Cyclone Freddy. Vikas Sheel from India’s Ministry of Jalshakti spoke about prioritizing service delivery, sustainability, and water quality over infrastructure alone. He further urged for transparent monitoring measures and community empowerment.
From the interactive debate, member states delegates called for a change in:
- Juridical and institutional level (Senegal)
- A paradigm shift for including women in managerial roles, beyond just protecting them and the inclusion of migrants in decision-making (OIM)
- Promoting menstrual health (UNFPA)
- Inclusion of people with disabilities in WASH services (Congo)
- Remote sensing and mapping for data collection and monitoring (Russia)
- Proper management of data and fact-based decision-making (Lebanon)
The role of Indigenous peoples as rightsholders and private sector was underscored by Andrea Carmen, International Indian Treaty Council and Eva Muhia, Private African Sanitation Actors, respectively.
Read more: Solutions For Water Scarcity and Water Hazards- What the UN Says About it?
5- Quotes from Speakers:
‘The empowered are not a business case for anyone!’ – Pedro Arrojo- Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.
‘upscaling water and climate action to increase the resilience of communities.’ – Mr Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General, International Federation of Red-cross and Red Crescent Societies.
‘If you have a health care facility without sanitation services, don’t call it a health care facility’ –Maria Neira from WHO
6- Speaker’s Notes:
See section 4 for speaker contributions.
7- Participating Stakeholders and Organizations:
Besides the countries previously mentioned, the interactive discussion saw active participation from delegates from a host of nations, including Senegal, Mozambique, Colombia, Thailand, Poland, Russia, Argentina, Ethiopia, Benin, Lebanon, Mauritania, Togo, Solomon Islands, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Peru.
Various organizations also joined the dialogue, such as the International Organization for Migration (OIM), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Congo Handicap, Private African Sanitation Actors, the International Indian Treaty Council, the World Food Programme (PAM), and Unilever.
8- Innovative Ideas/Approaches:
The most proactive strategy was the traditional pathway suggested by Co-chair Zac Goldsmith.
He noted the UK’s initiation of three primary strategies:
- Constructing political commitments, exemplified by the UK government’s collaboration with UNICEF and other agencies.
- Backing individual projects carried out by domain experts.
- Amplifying WASH services through direct investment.
9- Impact on the Water Action Agenda:
Co-chair Zac Goldsmith revealed a new GBP 18.5 million initiative focused on WASH systems for health.
10- Link between Water and Other SDGs:
The interconnectivity between climate, water, menstrual health, and inclusive growth was underscored in several discussions, touching on SDGs 1, 5, 6, 10, and 13.
Read more: Deionized Water Vs. Distilled Water- Everything You Need to Know
11- Personal Analysis of the Session:
Hadi expressed concern about the lack of interaction and the tendency to diagnose rather than commit. Pabel noted the paucity of concrete actions and the urgent need for capacity development at the local level to ensure effective governance, service delivery, innovation, and data management.
Conclusion:
The dialogue session underscored the importance of fresh perspectives, far-reaching solutions, and the urgent need for investments in the WASH sector. The significant challenges lying in the road ahead demand an innovative, multi sectoral approach to ensure that the goals of the ‘Decade for Water and Sanitation’ are met. It was widely agreed upon that actionable commitments and transparency in implementation and monitoring would play a vital role in securing the future of WASH, especially in the world’s most vulnerable regions. As the session concluded, there was a collective acknowledgment that the onus is now on every stakeholder, from governments to local communities, to drive forward these solutions and ensure a healthier, more equitable future.
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Reference: https://iwa-network.org/news/youthactionforsdg6/
