A queue for change
938,943 call on Japanese G8 leadership to provide taps and toilets for all
Credit: WaterAid / Randy Quan
3 July 2008
On Wednesday 2 July 2008 End Water Poverty staged a queue for an inflatable toilet outside the Japanese Embassy in London. Just five days before the start of the G8 Summit in Japan, the event marked the official presentation of 938,943 actions taken across the globe, including signed postcards asking the Government of Japan to lead G8 countries in ensuring safe water and sanitation for all. The petition was handed over to Mr Takaoka, Economic Minister at the Embassy of Japan.
As hosts of the 2008 G8 Summit, the Government of Japan have led the G8 by committing to putting water and sanitation on the summit agenda - a step warmly welcomed by End Water Poverty campaigners. Yet fears remain that this crucial opportunity may be lost if leaders fail to take concerted action. End Water Poverty are calling on leaders to agree a global action plan on water and sanitation, including a commitment that every country has enough money to deliver the 'taps and toilets' needed to provide life and dignity to their citizens.
Also joining the queue was Japanese Formula 1 automobile racing driver and UK-Japan 2008 Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Takuma Sato. According to Mr. Sato "I am delighted to know that Japan has put water and sanitation on this year's G8 agenda. It is such an important issue as I believe that everyone deserves the right to clean water and sanitation."
Steve Cockburn, International Campaign Coordinator for End Water Poverty commented, "Since the End Water Poverty campaign was launched last year, almost 1 million actions have been taken calling for a global action plan on water and sanitation. The Japanese Government have acted positively by putting the issue on the agenda, but now it is time for the G8 as a whole to deliver action that will provide life and dignity for billions."
2008 is the UN 'International Year of Sanitation', highlighting the pivotal role of safe sanitation to poverty reduction. Over 2.6bn people worldwide have no access to safe sanitation, and 1.1bn people have no access to safe water. As a result water-related diseases kill 5000 children every day, and 443m school days are lost every year. In 2000 world leaders set a target of halving the number of people without access to safe water and sanitation by 2015 - but at current rates countries in Africa will not achieve the sanitation target until 2076.