A global move towards ending water poverty
Ending water poverty will only be achieved if
there is a global movement to push it through.
Credit: WaterAid / Jim Holmes
The recently formed End Water Poverty campaign has already prompted significant action in many countries around the world.
In Bangladesh, the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and non government organisation Dushtha Shasthya Kendra are taking the campaign forward with WaterAid Bangladesh acting as the Secretariat.
The council held a meeting with representatives of over twelve local and international non government organisations who responded enthusiastically.
The council will start its End Water Poverty activities by organising a people's petition to the German Ambassador urging them to put water supply and sanitation on to the agenda of this year's G8 Summit.
In Mali, a steering committee of ten civil society organisations including WaterAid Mali met Dr Nouhoun Ganaba who was representing his Excellency the Ambassador of Germany. This was an opportunity to share the campaign's manifesto and urge the German government to lobby G8 members and get water and sanitation on the upcoming summit's agenda
A demonstration has also been scheduled in Mali. It has been organised by the Civil Society Coalition and will take place on 24 February 2007. The demonstration will travel from the Local Trade Unions Centre to the Prime Minister's office and will lobby for equitable access to safe water, sanitation and electricity.
It is fantastic to see so many organisations getting involved in the campaign so early on. As the coalition grows, our collective voice will get louder and the louder we get, the harder it will be for world leaders to ignore the demands to beat world poverty.