World Water Day: From Istanbul to Kathmandu
End Water Poverty members mark World Water Day 2009
A candelight vigil brought together 3000
people in Kathmandu, Nepal.
From defending the right to water and sanitation at the World Water Forum in Istanbul to calling for water and sanitation as a constitutional right in Kathmandu, End Water Poverty members have been using World Water Day to make a splash.
Just a few examples of activities are given below:
Nepal: 3000 people join the call at Holy Temple
Members of the End Water Poverty campaign brought together high-profile celebrities, top politicians and over 3000 people to a candlelight memorial at holy 'Monkey Temple' in Kathmandu.
Whilst Kollywood actress Jharana Thapa called on the Nepalese Government to honour its commitments in ensuring access to sanitation and water for all, Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang called on political parties to unite to tackle this issue urgently. He further supported the call that access to sanitation and water should become a constitutional right. A 1 minute silence was observed as 10,500 candles were lit to commemorate each child in Nepal who had died from sanitation and water-related illnesses in the last year.
See photos of the event (opens in new window).
Read the End Water Poverty Nepal blog (opens in new window).
The seated protest in Canada.
Canada: Seated protest delivered to Parliament Hill
Canadian NGOs working in coalition through SWAN Canada - a coalition of 19 NGOs - delivered scores of toilet seats signed by hundreds of campaigners to their national parliament. Members of Parliament, media organisations, NGOs and members of the public swarmed onto Parliament Hill, Ottawa, to hear representatives of SWAN Canada call on the Canadian Government to make water and sanitation a foreign aid priority, and to work with others to support a Global Framework for Action on water and sanitation.
Toilet seats had been signed by campaigners across the country in the run up to World Water Day. Opposition MP Paul Dewar said that he would personally deliver a signed toilet seat to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
See examples of media coverage (opens in new window).
See photos of the event (opens in new window).
A performer in Nigeria.
Nigeria: Making music for sanitation
1500 people attended a musical concert and rally in Millennium Park, Abuja, in support of the End Water Poverty campaign. Organised by Municipal Youth Vanguard, with support from WaterAid Nigeria, WATSAN Media Network and Society for Family Health (SFH), the concert included calls for greater government investment in water and sanitation. Over 1000 signatures were collected for the End Water Poverty petition.
The concert was complemented by visits by journalists to projects providing water and sanitation, organised by the WATSAN Media Network, and a stakeholder meeting organised in conjunction with NGOs, politicians and key government officials.
UK: Minister targeted in Parliamentary event
Tearfund, UNICEF UK and WaterAid organised an End Water Poverty event in the House of Commons to press the UK Government to step up its investment and efforts on sanitation and water. The event was attended by the International Development Minister responsible for water and sanitation, Mike Foster MP, as well as 9 Members of Parliament, key government officials and academics from the Institute of Development Studies.
Elsewhere, Samaritans Purse organised walking events as part of the 'Global Walk for Water', while Pump Aid launched an online calculator showing the impact on your income of spending 5 hours per day fetching water. A number of organisations launched postcard petitions targeting Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Read about the Global Walk for Water (opens in new window).
View Pump Aid's income calculator (opens in new window)
Ghana: street march launches national petition
Hundreds of Ghanaians took part in a street march in support of the End Water Poverty campaign, while a national petition was launched and almost 1000 signatures collected in just the first few hours. The Country Representative of WaterAid Ghana, Mr. Stephen Ntow says the response so far indicates how serious people truly identify with the need to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene for all.
Just a few of the students who love
sanitation!
International Medical Students 'heart' sanitation
Hundreds of medical students from across the world taking part in International Federation of Medical Students Associations' conference in Tunisia pledged their support to the End Water Poverty campaign by signing petitions and being photographed with signs saying "I 'heart' sanitation". Medical students' society Medsin was instrumental in promoting the issues at the conference.
View some photos (opens in a new window).
The world calls on Italy for G8 leadership
Internationally, a letter signed by leading civil society networks in Italy, Africa and South Asia - as well as over 140 individual networks and organisations - was presented to the Italian Government, calling for their support for a Global Framework for Action on water and sanitation throughout this year's G8 process. Read the letter here. In addition, campaigners organised meetings at Italian Embassies to press the message home.
Read the letter (opens in new window).
World Water Forum
The 5th World Water Forum was held in Istanbul, 16-23 March, and civil society organizations connected with End Water Poverty were active in sharing research, lobbying policy makers and promoting the cause of sanitation and water for all. Activities for End Water Poverty members included a lobby meeting with Members of the European Parliament, as well as those with individual officials and politicians from across the world. Much energy focused on the recognition of water and sanitation as a human right, which was not respected in the final ministerial statement.
Read the Ministerial Statement (opens in a new window).