THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF

WATER

Stanley L. LaskowskiUniversity Of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Global Water Initiative

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAFOUNDER BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: “WHEN THE WELL’S DRY, WE KNOW THE VALUE OF WATER”

TWELVE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING “ARTS AND SCIENCE,” MEDICINE, BUSINESS, LAW, ENGINEERING, DESIGN---ALL INVOLVED IN WATER ISSUES

CURRENTLY “YEAR OF WATER” AT UPENN

Millennium Development Goals

• Year 2000: all 189 members of the UN adopted the Millennium Declaration

• Eight broad goals and over 60 targets established

The Millennium Development Goals

THE WATER/SANITATION ISSUE

UN: Every 20 seconds someone will die from a water-related problem

MDGs for drinking water and sanitation

• By the year 2015 reduce by one half the percentage of the world’s population who do not access to an improved drinking water source

• By the year 2015 reduce by one half the percentage of the world’s population who do not have access to improved sanitation facilities

• Use 1990 as the base year

Water and the Other MDGs

• ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER

• UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

• GENDER EQUALITY• REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY• IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH• COMBAT

HIV/AIDS/MALARIA/OTHERS DISEASES

• GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT

*Note relationships with water* Water Connects to Many Other Water Connects to Many Other Problems in the Developing WorldProblems in the Developing World

885 MILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER

Coverage with improved drinking water sources in 2004 (WHO 2006)Coverage with improved drinking water sources in 2004 (WHO 2006)

Good News?: The World is on track to meet the Drinking Water Target

• Global Total for Developing Countries: 71% coverage in 1990; 84% in 2006

• Global population not using an improved drinking water source is now at 884 million [2006], about ½ in Asia

• 54% of the world’s population have piped water on premises [only 16% in Sub-Saharan Africa receive piped water]

2.5 BILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT ACCESS TO BASIC SANITATION

Coverage with improved sanitation in 2004 (WHO 2006)

Bad News: The World is not on track to meet the MDG Sanitation Target

• Global Total for Developing Countries: 41% coverage in 1990; 53% in 2006

• Almost all Sub-Saharan African countries, and some in Southern Asia [eg, India], are not on target

• Some countries [eg, Eritrea, Niger, Chad] are still below 10% sanitation coverage

• Open Defecation still high [developing world: 31% in 1990; 23% in 2006]

Focus on the evidence-based interventions with greatest potential for reducing morbidity and

mortality

• POU water treatment & safe storage – approximately 30-50% reduction in DD prevalence (Cochrane Review, Clasen et al., 2006)

• Optimal handwashing (meta-analysis showed 43% reduction in diarrhea prevalence, April 2003, Lancet)

• Sanitation – basic, low-cost systems can reduce DD by 30% or more

• Increasing quantities of water used – impact on general hygiene and specifically facilitates handwashing

Diarrhea – Real Progress in Reducing Mortality

• 1990 World Summit for Children Goal met by 2000 (reduce under-five diarrheal deaths by half)

Almost 3 million child deaths/year averted by 2005

Estimated 1.5 billion child diarrhea episodes/year (in developing countries)

• Still over 1.5 million child deaths/year

Special Challenges

• POLITICAL WILL, ESPECIALLY ON SANITATION

• CREATIVE FINANCING

• PRIVATIZATION

• GENDER

• CORRUPTION

• TRANSBOUNDARY ISSUES

• ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS

• TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES

• URBAN ISSUES

• CLIMATE CHANGE

Women and Women and children are children are

impacted the impacted the mostmost

Core Management Problems [Stan’s Short List]

• CAPACITY BUILDING: Systems & Institutions – Legal, Regulatory, Financial, Education

– Needed for sustainability!

• FINANCE: Increase total funds available; manage competition with other priorities

• INTEGRATION – WITH OTHER MDGs

How the Philadelphia area is Helping

• Philadelphia Global Water Initiative [ see www.pgwi.net ], a network of water professionals and students; partnerships, education, awareness, and direct assistance through conferences, newsletters, in-country projects

• Leadership by individuals and organizations in developing countries--eg, Kenya, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central America [see www.travelingmercies.org ; www.ksmministries.com ]

• Engineers Without Borders: professional and student level

• Rotary District 7450

For More Information• Go to www.pgwi.org

• Contact Stan Laskowski, President, Philadelphia Global Water Initiative at laskowski6@aol.com

Hundreds of Millions Need Your Help--- Children’s Lives Depend Upon It!Hundreds of Millions Need Your Help--- Children’s Lives Depend Upon It!

BEN FRANKLIN SAYS…

• “HE THAT SPEAK MUCH, IS MUCH MISTAKEN”

• QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!