Water and water resources are essential for the sustainable development of our countries, covering crucial aspects such as: socio-economic development, food production, ecosystems, energy, and ultimately, human survival. In addition, it plays a fundamental role in adaptation to climate change and acts as a critical link between society and the environment.
Access to water is therefore a basic human right. As the world’s population grows, there is a need to balance commercial demands for water resources with the needs of communities. Human development requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both water supply and sanitation systems. Both are critical to reducing disease and improving the health, education and economic productivity of populations. Proper management of these resources not only improves quality of life, but also promotes equality and long-term sustainable development.
This is why it has been of the utmost interest to the United Nations System. Launch and Adoption of the First Water and Sanitation Strategy (SWS), in the “Special Event on SDG 6 and the Water Action Agenda” which was held on July 16, 2024, within the framework of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at United Nations Headquarters in New York (8-17 July 2024).
The event brought together senior officials and experts to address the critical state of water resources and the need to put them on the agenda of the entire United Nations System. the ambitious Water and Sanitation Strategy with the central objective of accelerating progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).
In this regard, and despite the efforts already made, progress towards achieving SDG 6, that is: ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030, remains a complex and very difficult challenge to achieve. Since more than 2 billion people in the world still do not have access to drinking water and 4.2 billion without adequate sanitation services, the global water crisis has been and is a humanitarian and global challenge. UN Water, created in 2003 to coordinate and improve the collective action of more than 30 UN entities, has been at the forefront of addressing these problems through unified strategies and initiatives throughout all these years.
The United Nations System-Wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation focuses on five key areas:
- System-wide leadership and coordination: Enhance high-level leadership across the United Nations system to drive collective action;
- Climate action: Integrate water management with climate adaptation and resilience efforts;
- Support to Member States: Provide targeted and efficient support to ensure that no one is left behind;
- Global and regional coordination: Strengthen support to major UN conferences and global processes related to water;
- Complementarity and Learning: Promote synergy and shared learning among various actors.
At this event, the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Mr. José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachsstressed the urgent need to raise ambitions to address the water crisis, highlighting that the Water and Sanitation Strategy aims to integrate these critical issues across all relevant sectors and processes. He highlighted the success of the Regional Water Dialogues for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)that have significantly improved regional cooperation and capacity building serving as a model for inclusive and sustainable water management practices. In addition, ECLAC leads the Group of Experts in the region, which is dedicated to collaboratively promoting the Regional Action Agenda on Water, accelerating progress towards SDG 6 and ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. He added that “Sustainable water management is essential to drive the transformations needed for a more productive, inclusive and sustainable Latin America and the Caribbean.”
However, in the region, 163 million people do not have access to safely managed drinking water and almost 335 million do not have safely managed sanitation services. The Collaborative Implementation Plan of the Strategy is therefore a fundamental instrument for moving forward. This plan aims to support action and prioritization of water and sanitation across the system, coordinate common areas of work and harmonize joint programming. It will also improve the quality and availability of data, establish progress indicators and identify time-bound actions to achieve results of the Water and Sanitation Strategy. By showcasing the contributions of the United Nations system, it will facilitate collaboration, address gaps and avoid duplication, aligning strategic plans and providing a common framework to review and monitor progress, ultimately optimizing shared efforts and results.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the UN Water Directors’ message to the High-Level Political Forum was a stark reminder of the critical need for immediate and coordinated action to address the global water crisis. . Leaders called for increased investment in water infrastructure, innovative solutions and stronger political will to achieve SDG 6. The urgency of the situation demands that all stakeholders – governments, international organizations, the private sector, civil society and academia – work together to ensure a future with safe water for all. “The time to act is now. The future of our planet and the well-being of billions depends on our collective ability to effectively manage and sustain our precious water resources.”
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