GOALS
Millenium Development Goals (MDG) – Decade of Water
The United Nations General Assembly declared the years 2005 until 2015 to be the international decade for water related questions with the claim “Water – Spring of Life”. This means that every year 125 million people should be ensured access to clean water.
WADI is directed towards the MDGs.
Target number 7c refers to “halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation” (UNESCO 2006). This is fulfilled by the simple, cost-effective and sustainable system of water disinfection for which solely the user is responsible, thus giving them a chance to organize self-determinedly their clean water supply with a simple method for many years
The MDG target number 4, reducing child mortality,
seems to be another reason for using WADI, since children are the primary victims of polluted water, considering that their immune system is not as strong as those of adults. Diarrhea is also the second greatest killer of children worldwide (UNICEF/WHO, 2009).
Environment and Sustainability
By substituting fire places not only CO2 emissions are reduced, but also soil erosion and forest clearance is avoided. Using renewable solar energy for disinfecting water is thus more much more sustainable than other solutions in water supply management. Energy is also one of the highest expenditures of households. By minimizing these costs and the time necessary for collecting water, the saved resources can be used elsewhere, such as for education, health care, work etc.
Human Rights
The Right to Water and Sanitation was officially declared by the United Nations General Assembly on the 28th of July in 2010 and recognises “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights”. It is thus seen as a prerequisite for other basic human rights, especially economic, social and cultural rights.
Gender
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In many areas progress towards gender equality has been limited—even in developed countries. Girls and women, who are poor, live in remote areas, are disabled, or belong to minority groups which continue to lag behind. Too many girls and women are still dying in childhood and in the reproductive ages. Women still fall behind in earnings and productivity, and in the strength of their voices in society. In some areas, such as education, there is now a gender gap to the disadvantage of men and boys. Women and girls shoulder the largest burden in collecting water and spend up to four hours daily to get water. Women are usually responsible for gathering drinking water and spend up to four hours daily to get water. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, 40 billion hours a year are spent mostly by women to collect water (UNDP 2006). That is equivalent to a year’s labor for the entire workforce of France. Yet women usually do not take part in the decision making process surrounding water issues. By eliminating these burdens of physically tough and draining travels their resources can be spent elsewhere.
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Frank Odoilives: 2012 cartoon calender WSP
All our activities in the field of water disinfection and rural development are inspired by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and dedicated to environment and sustainability, human rights as well as gender equity.