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Funding, Malawis challenge in water supply P3 Malawis journey towards meeting MDGs on water P7
special essay
The following are institutions a n d organisations that are promoting World Water Day in Malawi
1. Agas 2. OG Plastics 3. Plan 4. Polyplast 5. Pump Aid 6. Toppers 7. Unicef 8. Water Aid 9. WES Network 10. World vision
eople often wonder how there can be water scarcity when water is the most plentiful thing on Earth. Ocean water may cover more than 70 percent of the Earths surface, but thirsty humans rely on finite supplies of freshwater to stay alive. And with exploding human population growth, especially in poor countries, these finite supplies get quickly spoken for. Further, in places without proper sanitation, water can become tainted with any number of diseases and parasites. Billions of people lack clean water: According to the World Bank, as many as two billion people lack adequate sanitation facilities to protect them from water-borne diseases, while a billion lack access to clean water altogether. According to the United Nations, which has declared 2005-2015 the Water for Life decade, 95 percent of the worlds cities still dump raw sewage into their water supplies. Thus, it should come as no surprise to know that 80 percent of all the health maladies in developing countries can be traced back to unsanitary water. Water scarcity likely to increase as population grows: Sandra Postel, author of the 1998 book, Last Oasis: Facing Water Scarcity, predicts big water availability problems as populations of so-called waterstressed countries jump perhaps six-fold over the next 30 years. It raises tons of issues about water and agriculture, growing enough food, providing for all the material needs that people demand as incomes increase, and providing drinking water, says Postel. Developed nations using disproportionate amount of water: Developed countries are not immune to freshwater problems either. Researchers found a six-fold increase in water use for only a two-fold increase in population size in the United States since 1900. Such a trend reflects the connection between higher living standards and increased water usage, and underscores the need for more sustainable management and
World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
FACTS
An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water and is coordinated by Unesco on behalf of UN-Water.
About 783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation. Six to eight million people die annually from the consequences of disasters and water-related diseases.
fEATURES
ALBERT SHARRA Staff Reporter
he saying water is life is not just a simple idiom. Its meaning, context and the demands attached to it live to challenge all of humankind. It is estimated that only about 83 percent of the over 14 million population has access to safe clean water and the remaining 17 percent still rely on streams, rivers and unprotected wells to access water, according to a recent Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) figures. International reports also identify Malawi as one of the Southern African countries likely to experience absolute water scarcity by 2025. However, this happens to a country with 21 percent of its territory covered by water that flows in rivers, streams, lakes and mountains. Water service providers Lilongwe, Blantyre and Northern Region water boardsmay be operating in a country with many water sources. Nonetheless, funding remains a greatest challenge. Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) public relations officer Trevor Phoya says some of the projects planned by his office to improve access to water have stalled due to lack of funds. He says this affects their quest to ensure more people have access to clean water. It is a challenge. Production of water requires heavy investment and with the recent economic challenges, costs have gone high. There have been many companies and institutions that assist us, but we have observed that most companies are prioritiSing supporting projects that require little funds and with a shortterm impact, says Phoya. He adds that the boards main project, which also carries all the hopes to reduce water problems in Lilongwe scheduled to be carried along Diamphwe River has stalled due to lack of funding. There is a lot of potential water in Diamphwe River and we want to construct a multipurpose dam to keep water from the river and distribute it to people. We believe the project will help us to reach many people who have no access to water and of course, keeping taps running throughout, he says. Phoya adds that the money the company gets from its services is not enough to carry out new projects and says he is happy that this years World Water Day theme Water cooperation challenges the issue that stands in the way of effective water supply in the country. The issue of water supply needs everyones support and we thank government and other organisations for their support when we are struggling. Our
Borehole Construction programme. The programme was expected to construct 965 boreholes, five for each of the 193 constituencies. However, the programme has been implemented at a slow pace and has been hit by increased vandalism, as confirmed by Water for People Malawi, an organisation working on providing clean water to rural people. By October last year, the project had constructed 946 boreholes. Again, five boreholes are not enough for the whole population in a constituency. This calls for extra funding and extra borehole projects from the corporate world. Ritchie Muheya, Minister of Irrigation and Water Development admitted in The Nation on September 8, 2012 that his office knows that the demand for boreholes in rural areas is high compared to those being provided, but said there are several nongovernmental organisations that are constructing boreholes to complement governments efforts.
special essay
here there is no safe drinking water, people either go thirsty or resort to quench their thirst with dirty water. Millions of Malawians go either way as they strive to access water. Besides the country being blessed with many water sources, residents do not equally share the resource. In the 1970s, Malawi Government had a beautiful plan to construct water schemes across the country in order to improve access to water in the country. As such, schemes such as Lufilya in Karonga and Miseu-Folo in Chikhwawa were introduced. But decades later, all these dreams have collapsed. Water experts have realised that implementation of the system was wrong. Government was both provider and supervisor of the systems. The beneficiaries lacked a sense of ownership. And as such, the communities cared less and equipment was damaged until collapse. Prisca Kutengule of National Water Development Programme (NWDP) says experience has shown that usually, things that are provided for free tend to be abused. People lacked ownership of the water schemes, they would say ndi za boma (this is for the government) and they expected the government to repair the systems, she says. Similarly Professor Zachary Kasomekera, programme manager for the NWDP said: The rural areas have, for some time now, developed a notion that infrastructure will be provided and maintained by government. This has resulted in poor local ownership of rural
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fEATURES
Samuel Chibaya Staff Reporter
here have been clear efforts by both government and non-governmental organisations, towards attaining the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) of halving the number of people without access to safe water by 2015. An expert from Water Aid, a non-governmental organisation dealing with water issues, says the country has excelled in its efforts to meet the target. One way of ensuring the achievement is sustained is through allowing water systems to be managed by the locals. Apart from government, Water Aid managed to resuscitate a fallen water system at Mgona in Lilongwe where residents had a rude awakening when their water system shut down. After maintenance works and the handing over of the water system to locals, the water users now pay a small fee for the water which caters for repair works, thereby ensuring sustainability. Mercy Masoo, country representative for Water Aid, said it is such interventions that have helped the country to move towards reaching the MDG target by 2015. By 2015, we will have achieved what we planned for, she said. Currently, we have achieved 83 percent of access to safe water. The percentage includes both functioning and nonfunctioning water systems. But, if non-functioning systems are taken on board the percent of people enjoying the safe water drops. Some boreholes broke down, some water taps are dry, pumping stations failing to pump adequate water. Which means, behind the high statistical mark, there are lives that still yearn to access the much needed safe water. Future of water supply after 2015 Already Water Aid has planned for the future of water after the 2015 MDG journey ends. The new plan targets the
PHOTOGRAPH: worldvision.com
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FEATURES
his event responds to the invitation of Member States to convene a HighLevel Interactive Dialogue during the 67th session of the General Assembly in New York on World Water Day, to mark the 2013 International Year of Water cooperation and the 20th anniversary of World Water Day. Taking place in the context of current discussions on the Post-2015 development framework and the process of developing a set of SDGs, the main objective of the event is to identify and discuss waterrelated challenges and key areas which in the future will require stronger political support and international cooperation. The event will also explore concrete strategies and practical solutions to overcome these challenges and discuss the potential role that all stakeholders including the UN-System could play in this context. In addition, this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the commemoration of World Water Day and in this regard, the event will provide an opportunity to share experiences and highlight the lessons learnt over the past 20 years. At the occasion of World Water Day, Friday, 22 March 2013 1. Background At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 (Rio+20), Member States recognised that water is at the core of sustainable development as it is closely linked to a number of key global challenges. Water is essential for human health and well-being, food and energy production, social and economic stability, and for protecting and maintaining healthy ecosystems. But water is also a finite and vulnerable resource under mounting pressure. Around the world, freshwater resources are threatened by climate change, urbanisation, population growth, pollution and other drivers of change. Analysis suggest that by 2030 demand for freshwater will outstrip supply by 40 percent. Between 2000 and 2050, the number of people living in river basins under severe water stress is expected to more than double, reaching almost four billion people. While too little water can have devastating effects on humanity, too much water can also be fatal. In recent decades, the frequency and intensity of water-related disasters such as floods and droughts have been rising substantially, claiming the lives of millions of people and damaging the economies of many countries. The UN General Assembly
International Year of Water aims at ensuring that more people have access to fresh water
declared 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation (A/RES/65/154). Enhancing cooperation and building partnerships at the local, national and transboundary levels will be critical to address freshwaterrelated challenges. A wide range of activities around the world will help raise awareness on the potential and challenges to water cooperation, facilitate dialogue among stakeholders and promote innovative solutions. This years World Water Day 2013 on 22 March will be also dedicated to the theme of water cooperation. The High-Level Interactive Dialogue on Water Cooperation of the UN General Assembly will provide the opportunity to identify and discuss waterrelated challenges and key areas which will require stronger political support and greater cooperation at the international level. The event will also explore strategies and cooperative solutions to overcome these challenges and discuss the potential role that all stakeholders, including UN-System could play in this context. The High-Level Interactive Dialogue on Water Cooperation complements the Official World Water Day celebrations to be held on the same day in The Hague. The Interactive Dialogue will address the four global key messages of the International Year of Water Cooperation (poverty reduction, economic benefits, environmental protection and peace building) as well as water security from a political perspective. In addition the session will also address the issue of extreme hydrological events and the challenges that emanate from them with a view to also exploring possible solutions. 2. Objective and expected outcome: This event responds to the invitation of Member States to convene a High-Level Interactive Dialogue during the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly in New York on 22 March 2013, World Water Day, to mark the 2013 International Year of Water cooperation and the twentieth anniversary of World Water Day (A/67/204). Taking place in the context of current discussions on the Post-2015 development framework and the process of developing a set of SDGs, the main objective of the event is to identify and discuss waterrelated challenges and key areas which in the future will require stronger political support and international cooperation. The event will also explore concrete strategies and practical solutions to overcome these challenges and discuss the potential role that all stakeholders including the UN-System could play in this context. In addition, this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the commemoration of World Water Day and in this regard, the event will provide an opportunity to share experiences and highlight the lessons learnt over the past 20 years. The main output of the highlevel interactive debate will be a Presidents summary that will inform ongoing discussions on the Post-2015 development framework and Open Working Group on SDGs, as well as forthcoming freshwater-related events such as the High-Level International Conference on Water Cooperation to be hosted by the Republic of Tajikistan in August 2013, Stockholm World Water Week in September 2013 and the Budapest Water Summit hosted by Hungary in October 2013. 3. Programme: The High-Level Interactive Dialogue will start with an opening session featuring statements by the President of the General Assembly, the Secretary General (SG) and several leaders from UN Member States. The opening session will be followed by a video link with the event taking place in The Hague. The event will also feature two panel discussions: the first panel will set the stage with indepth discussions on pressing freshwater-related challenges and areas that require better cooperation at the international level, while the second will look at concrete proposals, strategies and cooperative solutions for the period after 2015.
PHOTOGRAPH: flickr.com
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special essay
oday, on the 20th anniversary of World Water Day, WaterAid is calling on international leaders to support an ambitious target of providing access to water, sanitation and hygiene for all Africans by 2030. The call comes as over 50 000 people take part in more than 30 mass walking events across Africa to call on their governments to keep their promises on access to clean water and safe sanitation. They are joining more than 350 000 people worldwide who are participating in World Walks for Water and Sanitation between Saturday 16 and Saturday 23 March. WaterAids report Everyone Everywhere launched today by Sirleaf at a UN event on water in the Hague, in the Netherlands. The report finds that, lack of progress in improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene is acting as a brake on progress in economic and human development particularly in child health, nutrition and education. WaterAid cites World Health Organisation figures that show the economic gains that Africa could make through everyone on the continent having access
With more than 1 000 African children under the age of five dying every day from diseases brought about from a lack of water and sanitation, Africans will not accept failure. We have to reach this target, said Gomonda. Currently, in subSahara Africa, 334 million people (39 percent of the population) lack access to clean drinking water, while under 600 million (70 percent) lack access to sanitation. To tackle this problem now, WaterAid is calling on international leaders to: 1. Recognise the need for the framework that replaces the Millennium Development Goals in 2015 to reflect the contribution of water, sanitation and hygiene to other areas of poverty reduction, including health, educatio. 2. Set a new global target to achieve universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. 3. Identify ways of accelerating future rates of progress on sanitation if the goal of universal access is to be met by 2030.WaterAid.
PHOTOGRAPH: flickr.com