Please read this powerful statement (below) from Senator Durbin on World Water Day. Note in particular his recent trip to Africa where he visited a number of water/sanitation/health projects, particularly those administered by AMREF.
Note also his support for the Water for the World Act, which would benefit from additional cosponsors in the Senate in case you're in a letter-writing mood.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD STATEMENT: World Water Day
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Yesterday, countries around the world celebrated World Water Day. This is a day to celebrate the progress we have made protecting this most important resource and to reflect on the many challenges we still face in providing clean, safe water to the world’s poor.
I was heartened to see that Secretary of State Clinton spoke at the National Geographic World Water Day event on Monday. She and others at the Department of State and USAID are doing a great job stepping up U.S. leadership on issues of clean water and sanitation.
Last year alone, American development assistance helped more than 4 million people access an improved water source for the first time. While we’re proud of this help, we recognize that much more needs to be done.
Today, nearly one billion people still lack access to safe drinking-water, and more than two billion still lack basic sanitation. Lack of access to stable supplies of water is reaching critical proportions, particularly for agricultural purposes. And the problem will only worsen with rapid urbanization worldwide. Experts suggest that another 1.2 billion people will lack access to clean water and sanitation within 20 years.
The overall economic loss in Africa alone due to lack of access to safe water and basic sanitation is estimated at $28.4 billion a year. In many poor nations, women and girls walk two or three hours or more each way, every day, to collect water that is often dirty and unsafe. The U.N. estimates that women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa spend a total of 40 billion working hours each year collecting water. That is equivalent to all of the hours worked in France in a year. Clearly, the world needs to do more to help with such a basic human need.
That is why Senator Corker and I introduced the Paul Simon Water for the World Act – a bill that would strengthen America’s ability to provide clean water and sanitation to 100 million of the world’s poor over the next six years.
I am pleased that the bill is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee agenda and thank Senators Kerry, Lugar, Corker and so many others for their support on this effort. I look forward to the bill’ consideration from the Foreign Relations Committee and urge my colleagues to support passage of the bill once it’s been reported.
The Simon Water for the World bill would put the United States in the forefront of providing poor people around the world with a most fundamental need – water. This is not an effort to create vast new programs, but to focus our foreign assistance efforts on a comprehensive, strategic series of investments related to water and sanitation. These are simple, common-sense steps that will make a real difference in people’s lives.
Our legislation would make the US a leader in meeting key Millennium Development Goals for drinking water and sanitation, which is to reduce by half the proportion of people without safe water and sanitation by 2015. The bill targets aid to areas with the greatest need. It helps build the capacity of poor nations to meet their own water and sanitation challenges.
The Water for the World Act also supports research on clean water technologies and regional partnerships to find solutions to shared water challenges. The bill provides technical assistance -- best practices, credit authorities, and training -- to help countries expand access to clean water and sanitation. Our development experts will design the assistance based on local needs.
The bill would also strengthen the capacity of USAID and the State Department to implement development assistance efforts related to water and ramp up US developmental and diplomatic leadership.
I know that these steps do make a difference. On a recent trip to east Africa, I saw American development assistance in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Sudan and had an opportunity to look at a number of global health programs including clean water and sanitation.
One program in Ethiopia was provided by a nongovernmental organization called AMREF in the Kechene slum area of the capital of Addis Ababa. The 380 people living in the Kechene area have basically had to carry in water for years because there was no running water. But because of an AMREF project, they were able to build 22 water kiosks in the country and one in this slum area. It seems like something so simple, but it has changed their lives. They now have a source of safe drinking water.
Very near the small lean-tos they live in, they have two showers, toilet facilities, and a source of clean drinking water – none of which they had before. The small fee that is charged by the residents who maintain it helps keep it clean and functional.
The residents couldn’t help but beam with pride as we took a look at a most basic yet critical source of community pride. Disease is down, threats to women who otherwise would have to walk great distances to obtain water are down, and the community even has a small source of income and employment. These are the kinds of simple self-sustaining projects the US should be supporting for the world’s poor.
Water scarcity can also be a source of conflict and economic calamity. Last year millions in the horn of Africa suffered from famine because of droughts. Without reliable supplies of water, farmers struggle to grow crops, and areas once abundant with water are slowly becoming barren.
I was reminded of these challenges talking to a government minister in Sudan. When I asked about the impact of climate change in his country, he immediately wanted to take me to the Nile to show how the river had shrunk in volume. Can you imagine -- the Nile River – which sustains a land where historic civilizations emerged is now shrinking?
Helping other nations is in our national interest. Some say that now is not the time to invest in poor nations half a world away, when our economy is in crisis and so many Americans are hurting. That view is understandable. Recovering from this recession and rebuilding our economy for the long-term must be, and is, our government’s top priority. But investing in clean water for the world is a smart strategy that will make our foreign assistance dollars achieve more – something we need in these hard economic times.
We know what the solutions are and we know they are cost effective. For every dollar invested in water and sanitation, eight dollars are returned in increased productivity and decreased health care costs. And just imagine how bringing such a basic need to the world’s poor will impact America’s image – particularly at a time when we are in a battle of ideas in many parts of the world.
The Water for the World Act builds on the similarly-named landmark legislation -- the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act -- that at long last made safe drinking water and sanitation a priority of U.S. foreign development assistance.
I owe my passion on water to my predecessor and long time mentor the late Senator Paul Simon. Paul Simon was a prolific author and visionary. He wrote books on a variety of compelling issues; and solving the global water crisis was his last great campaign. He knew the United States had the ability to be a leader on this issue.
Two years after Paul Simon died the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act was signed into law in December 2005. The Act has made a big difference to the world’s poor, but we can do more. I can think of no better way to honor a man who did so much for so many, than to commit ourselves to achieving this vision and the ideals of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act.
Water is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. No other issue is more important to human health, peace and security than access to sustainable supplies of water. As we celebrate World Water Day this week, let’s renew our commitment to making sure the world’s poor have access to this most basic human need.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Millennium Water Alliance - mwawater.org - is hiring in Washington DC
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Head of Advocacy and Communication
February 2010
The Millennium Water Alliance, MWA, is a permanent coalition of international NGOs with experience in rural and peri-urban water supply, hygiene education and promotion of sanitation. Our vision is that everyone has access to safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene practices. Our collective focus is to achieve the following goals by 2012:
• Increase awareness and resources for sustainable WASH interventions
• Build strong permanent partnership models to enhance our impact
• Elevate global visibility in WASH sector
• Expand capacity, improve quality and efficiency at all levels; improve effectiveness of operations through learning
In the world’s poorest countries, over 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and approximately 2.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. More than 3 million people, mostly children, die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses. These sobering facts inspired a group of sector experts to form the MWA in 2002 as a 501(c) 3 organization. Full members of the MWA include: CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Food for the Hungry, Lifewater International, Living Water International, Water for People, Water.org, and World Vision International. In addition MWA has five affiliate members: Africare, Emmanuel International, Global Water, Water Missions International, and Eagle of Hope.
Position Summary
Under the direction of the President and in coordination with relevant colleagues throughout MWA the Head of Advocacy and Communication (a new position) will i) provide strategic direction in planning, implementing through appropriate networking and evaluating MWA’s advocacy and campaigning in the USA. Will ii) support local staff in MWA countries of operation in their advocacy efforts, this will include analysis and linkages of US policy efficacy in country. It will also include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. S/he will iii) use evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public. In addition s/he will iv) be responsible for developing and managing the overall communications program, designing messaging and tailoring the MWA documentation for different audiences. S /he will v) play a role in representing MWA’s work and public policy positions to external audiences; in providing documentation, developing talking points and presentations for MWA representation at high level functions; and in adapting and disseminating these messages for various written and online communications, media, and fundraising purposes.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Advocacy - 60%
• In coordination with the President and MWA Board, identify key issues and themes to guide MWA’s advocacy and policy analysis in order to further MWA’s advocacy agenda both in the US context and in the countries of programming.
• Undertake research and analysis on key policy issues; track developments in the US policy environment to support this, including ongoing assessment of Congressional actions, actions by the Administration, and related legislative and implementation processes designed to achieve USAID reform, particularly in relation to US water policies.
• Work with the Head of the in-country Secretariats and the President to develop advocacy positions on key issues relating to MWA’s program activities in Central America and Africa and other areas of implementation as they are established.
• Work with and support country programs and local staff, as appropriate, in building advocacy relationships and contribute to country programs’ understanding of U.S. policies and processes. This will include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. Using evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public.
• Support local staff in the development of advocacy strategies in targeted countries.
• Write and produce advocacy outputs, such as reports, briefings, fact sheets and position papers.
• Build effective relations with relevant US stakeholders, such as NGOs, think tanks, educational and research organizations.
• Serve as a principal point of contact between MWA and other US advocates for water and sanitation, including the private sector, other NGOs, and the US government.
Communications – 30%
• Work closely with web-developers of maintain and update MWA website.
• Structure MWA’s communications program and documentation of MWA work. This will include tailoring the MWA messages for appropriate audiences.
• Work closely with the Head of the in country Secretariats to collect, consolidate, develop and disseminate success stories, human interest stories and lessons learned from MWA programming. This will include collaborating with MWA colleagues to identify, pitch and place story ideas.
• Proactively develop and maintain positive relationships with targeted local, regional and national news media via regular communications, press releases and other materials to increase U.S. awareness of the water and sanitation issue and to position MWA as a resource for the media.
• Provide advice and assistance to MWA colleagues and Board members in the development and implementation of key messages and communications strategies.
• Analyze and evaluate the outcomes of the communications program and develop strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of media interactions as required.
General
• Represent MWA’s interests in selected national and international forums, as requested.
• Commission and supervise research undertaken by consultants and interns.
• Undertake other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and demonstrated abilities
• Commitment to MWA’s vision, values and approach.
• Masters degree [or equivalent qualification] in one of the following areas: water, sanitation, hygiene education, community development, economics, social sciences or other relevant areas.
• Experience in advocacy work in the field of international development required.
• Previous experience with water, sanitation and hygiene preferred. At the minimum experience in the international development field, including global health and/or environmental issues.
• A strong working knowledge of US political, legislative, and NGO culture, institutions, and processes and the capacity, maturity and poise to represent WAA with high-level constituencies.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent writing ability.
• Media handling and public speaking skills.
• Spanish desirable, but not required.
• Ability to develop, implement and create status reports.
• Proven ability to write and communicate effectively in ways appropriate for varied targeted audiences (local, regional and national media, potential advocacy partners, potential funders, etc.).
• Proven ability to think creatively and develop innovative outreach vehicles designed to increase awareness and visibility of the issue.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, multi-task, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Ability and desire to work in a small organization with a consensus-oriented environment with different work styles.
• Ability and desire to supervise, train, support and motivate volunteers and interns if needed.
• Self-starter, high-energy, creative, and ability to be effective in a constantly changing environment.
Writing samples will be required.
This is a full-time permanent position located in Washington, DC. Salary range is commensurate with experience. Some international travel will be required.
MWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action employer that is committed to diversity in the workplace.
Please send résumé and cover letter to: hr -at- mwawater.org
Head of Advocacy and Communication
February 2010
The Millennium Water Alliance, MWA, is a permanent coalition of international NGOs with experience in rural and peri-urban water supply, hygiene education and promotion of sanitation. Our vision is that everyone has access to safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene practices. Our collective focus is to achieve the following goals by 2012:
• Increase awareness and resources for sustainable WASH interventions
• Build strong permanent partnership models to enhance our impact
• Elevate global visibility in WASH sector
• Expand capacity, improve quality and efficiency at all levels; improve effectiveness of operations through learning
In the world’s poorest countries, over 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and approximately 2.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. More than 3 million people, mostly children, die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses. These sobering facts inspired a group of sector experts to form the MWA in 2002 as a 501(c) 3 organization. Full members of the MWA include: CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Food for the Hungry, Lifewater International, Living Water International, Water for People, Water.org, and World Vision International. In addition MWA has five affiliate members: Africare, Emmanuel International, Global Water, Water Missions International, and Eagle of Hope.
Position Summary
Under the direction of the President and in coordination with relevant colleagues throughout MWA the Head of Advocacy and Communication (a new position) will i) provide strategic direction in planning, implementing through appropriate networking and evaluating MWA’s advocacy and campaigning in the USA. Will ii) support local staff in MWA countries of operation in their advocacy efforts, this will include analysis and linkages of US policy efficacy in country. It will also include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. S/he will iii) use evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public. In addition s/he will iv) be responsible for developing and managing the overall communications program, designing messaging and tailoring the MWA documentation for different audiences. S /he will v) play a role in representing MWA’s work and public policy positions to external audiences; in providing documentation, developing talking points and presentations for MWA representation at high level functions; and in adapting and disseminating these messages for various written and online communications, media, and fundraising purposes.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Advocacy - 60%
• In coordination with the President and MWA Board, identify key issues and themes to guide MWA’s advocacy and policy analysis in order to further MWA’s advocacy agenda both in the US context and in the countries of programming.
• Undertake research and analysis on key policy issues; track developments in the US policy environment to support this, including ongoing assessment of Congressional actions, actions by the Administration, and related legislative and implementation processes designed to achieve USAID reform, particularly in relation to US water policies.
• Work with the Head of the in-country Secretariats and the President to develop advocacy positions on key issues relating to MWA’s program activities in Central America and Africa and other areas of implementation as they are established.
• Work with and support country programs and local staff, as appropriate, in building advocacy relationships and contribute to country programs’ understanding of U.S. policies and processes. This will include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. Using evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public.
• Support local staff in the development of advocacy strategies in targeted countries.
• Write and produce advocacy outputs, such as reports, briefings, fact sheets and position papers.
• Build effective relations with relevant US stakeholders, such as NGOs, think tanks, educational and research organizations.
• Serve as a principal point of contact between MWA and other US advocates for water and sanitation, including the private sector, other NGOs, and the US government.
Communications – 30%
• Work closely with web-developers of maintain and update MWA website.
• Structure MWA’s communications program and documentation of MWA work. This will include tailoring the MWA messages for appropriate audiences.
• Work closely with the Head of the in country Secretariats to collect, consolidate, develop and disseminate success stories, human interest stories and lessons learned from MWA programming. This will include collaborating with MWA colleagues to identify, pitch and place story ideas.
• Proactively develop and maintain positive relationships with targeted local, regional and national news media via regular communications, press releases and other materials to increase U.S. awareness of the water and sanitation issue and to position MWA as a resource for the media.
• Provide advice and assistance to MWA colleagues and Board members in the development and implementation of key messages and communications strategies.
• Analyze and evaluate the outcomes of the communications program and develop strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of media interactions as required.
General
• Represent MWA’s interests in selected national and international forums, as requested.
• Commission and supervise research undertaken by consultants and interns.
• Undertake other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and demonstrated abilities
• Commitment to MWA’s vision, values and approach.
• Masters degree [or equivalent qualification] in one of the following areas: water, sanitation, hygiene education, community development, economics, social sciences or other relevant areas.
• Experience in advocacy work in the field of international development required.
• Previous experience with water, sanitation and hygiene preferred. At the minimum experience in the international development field, including global health and/or environmental issues.
• A strong working knowledge of US political, legislative, and NGO culture, institutions, and processes and the capacity, maturity and poise to represent WAA with high-level constituencies.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent writing ability.
• Media handling and public speaking skills.
• Spanish desirable, but not required.
• Ability to develop, implement and create status reports.
• Proven ability to write and communicate effectively in ways appropriate for varied targeted audiences (local, regional and national media, potential advocacy partners, potential funders, etc.).
• Proven ability to think creatively and develop innovative outreach vehicles designed to increase awareness and visibility of the issue.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, multi-task, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Ability and desire to work in a small organization with a consensus-oriented environment with different work styles.
• Ability and desire to supervise, train, support and motivate volunteers and interns if needed.
• Self-starter, high-energy, creative, and ability to be effective in a constantly changing environment.
Writing samples will be required.
This is a full-time permanent position located in Washington, DC. Salary range is commensurate with experience. Some international travel will be required.
MWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action employer that is committed to diversity in the workplace.
Please send résumé and cover letter to: hr -at- mwawater.org
Thursday, March 25, 2010
On the nexus of HIV/AIDS and safe drinking water and sanitation
These webinars are very helpful whether you are a funder, a practitioner, a policy wonk, or simply a sentient human who wants development to work better and in a more integrated fashion:
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You are invited to a webinar hosted by the USAID Hygiene Improvement Project (HIP) on Meeting the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Needs of People Living with HIV/AIDS, on April 8, 2010, at 10 am Eastern Daylight Time (New York time, or GMT-5).
People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are at increased risk for diarrheal diseases, and are far more likely to suffer severe and chronic complications if infected. Recent evidence demonstrates the efficacy of hand washing, safe water and sanitation in reducing diarrhea among PLWHA by 25% or more.
This webinar will highlight why WASH matters for people living with HIV/AIDS, give an overview of HIP's approach to reducing diarrheal disease by promoting improvement in key hygiene practices for PLWHA and their families and care givers, and share WASH-HIV integration resources HIP has developed.
To register for the webinar, go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/947962744
If you can't join us for this event, a recorded version of the webinar will be available on HIP's website at http://www.hip.watsan.net/page/4105.
Questions? Contact Patricia Mantey, USAID-HIP, tel. 202-884-8960, pmantey -at- aed.org
Please forward this invitation to other colleagues who may be interested in this topic.
__
You are invited to a webinar hosted by the USAID Hygiene Improvement Project (HIP) on Meeting the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Needs of People Living with HIV/AIDS, on April 8, 2010, at 10 am Eastern Daylight Time (New York time, or GMT-5).
People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are at increased risk for diarrheal diseases, and are far more likely to suffer severe and chronic complications if infected. Recent evidence demonstrates the efficacy of hand washing, safe water and sanitation in reducing diarrhea among PLWHA by 25% or more.
This webinar will highlight why WASH matters for people living with HIV/AIDS, give an overview of HIP's approach to reducing diarrheal disease by promoting improvement in key hygiene practices for PLWHA and their families and care givers, and share WASH-HIV integration resources HIP has developed.
To register for the webinar, go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/947962744
If you can't join us for this event, a recorded version of the webinar will be available on HIP's website at http://www.hip.watsan.net/page/4105.
Questions? Contact Patricia Mantey, USAID-HIP, tel. 202-884-8960, pmantey -at- aed.org
Please forward this invitation to other colleagues who may be interested in this topic.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's remarks on World Water Day
For those of you who were not able to join us this morning at the National Geographic, below are Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's remarks on World Water Day:
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
National Geographic Society
Washington, DC
March 22, 2010
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Thank you. Thank you very much. It is always a great pleasure to be here at the National Geographic Society, one of the treasures not only of Washington but of our country. And I thank Gil Grosvenor and everyone associated with the Society. I appreciate Maria Otero for her introduction. The water advocates who are gathered here today, thank you for your work.
And I want to recognize the other speakers who are participating, including the congressman. You know Earl is a champion of quality of life issues, and I think when he started in the Congress he was a little bit of a lonely voice. But gradually, people have seen the connections between a lot of the big issues of the day that take up the headlines and the day-to-day concerns of how people live, how they interact, how they commute. I want to tell Earl that I just inaugurated the showers for bikers at the State Department – (applause) – and I thought of you because the bikers gave me one of your bicycle signals. So we’re making progress, slowly but surely.
I know that you heard from my friend, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for Water in Africa, and has already addressed you via video. And I also want to be sure to recognize the diplomatic community that is here today. The head of our Millennium Challenge Corporation, Daniel Yohannes – thank you, Daniel. Maybe people haven’t met you yet, but I want everyone to do so. (Applause.)
And I just appreciate coming today because I can’t think of a better way to mark World Water Day and I can’t think of a better person to be the MC than Hattie Babbitt. Hattie’s been a friend of mine for a long time and has been involved in so many important issues, and I’m so pleased to see her today.
Water – it kind of goes without saying – certainly deserves the attention it’s receiving today. Because in many ways, it does define our blue planet. It’s critical to almost every aspect of human endeavor, from agriculture, to industry, to energy. Like the air we breathe, it is vital to the health of individuals and communities. And both literally and figuratively, water represents the wellspring of life on earth.
Now, of course, water can also bring devastation. Floods and droughts now touch more people than all other natural disasters combined. And inadequate access to water supply, sanitation, and hygiene cause the deaths of more than 1.5 million children each year. Water challenges are most obvious in developing nations, but they affect every country on earth. And they transcend political boundaries. As water becomes increasingly scarce, it may become a potential catalyst for conflict among – and within – countries.
As I speak today, a young family in North Dakota is huddled together praying that the Red River won’t overflow its banks again and destroy their home. A farmer in Southern China is realizing that amid the worst drought in 60 years, he just may not be able to plant his crops this Spring. A mother living in Ethiopia is carrying a jerry can of water back to her family, hoping she won’t be attacked along the way. Water issues are an urgent concern every day of every year for individuals, communities, and countries around the world.
And as pressing as water issues are now, they will become even more important in the near future. Experts predict – and many of you are in this audience who are experts – that by 2025, just 15 years from now, nearly two-thirds of the world’s countries will be water-stressed. Many sources of freshwater will be under additional strain from climate change and population growth. And 2.4 billion people will face absolute water scarcity – the point at which a lack of water threatens social and economic development.
But water challenges are not an inevitable cause of crisis. With the right policies and priorities, and with the will, many countries in arid climates are managing water resources effectively. In the process, they are delivering tangible results for their people, encouraging sustainable economic development, and promoting stability across their regions.
Access to reliable supplies of clean water is a matter of human security. It’s also a matter of national security. And that’s why President Obama and I recognize that water issues are integral to the success of many of our major foreign policy initiatives.
The United States is making major investments to combat preventable diseases and improve child survival through our Global Health Initiative. Increasing access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene will help save lives that are now being lost to preventable diseases.
Seventy percent of the world’s water use is devoted to agriculture, and the outcome of our work to promote global food security depends in part on having a successful water policy and sound water management. Floods and droughts can wipe out crops, and decimate economies that depend on agriculture.
We are also working to empower women around the world, because depending upon which continent we’re talking about, the average is 60 percent of the farmers are women. In addition to that, women who gain access to sanitation, who are freed from the burden of walking for hours each day just to locate and carry water, will find it easier to invest time and energy in their families and communities.
The stability of young governments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other nations depends in part on their ability to provide their people with access to water and sanitation. A lack of water, sanitation, and irrigation we know leads to economic decline, and even can lead to unrest and instability.
Part of being serious about dealing with and adapting to climate change is about being serious about water. As the earth warms, rainfall patterns can shift, bringing new patterns of drought and flooding. And we need to get out in front of that problem.
Successful engagement on water can also affect how our country is perceived in the world. We spend a lot of time working on issues such as terrorism and arms control and nuclear proliferation. These are obviously important topics that deserve our attention. But the reality is that they are not problems most people deal with on a day-to-day basis. Water is different. When we demonstrate our concern for the issue, it speaks to individuals on a whole different level. Everyone knows sensation of thirst firsthand. We all have daily personal experience that we can think about and relate to, even if the nature and magnitude of that experience varies widely. Our ability to satisfy our need for water depends on our location and our circumstances. But as a matter of biological necessity, access to safe, sustainable supplies of water is a priority for everyone on the planet.
In the United States, water represents one of the great diplomatic and development opportunities of our time. It’s not every day you find an issue where effective diplomacy and development will allow you to save millions of lives, feed the hungry, empower women, advance our national security interests, protect the environment, and demonstrate to billions of people that the United States cares, cares about you and your welfare. Water is that issue.
Now, we know that this challenge is much too large for the United States – or any one nation – to address alone. Even if all of the world’s development aid were directed toward water and sanitation efforts, the resources still wouldn’t be enough to meet the needs of developing countries. So we need to work together to leverage the efforts of other nations, the international community, and partners in the nonprofit and private sectors. Today, I want to discuss five streams – that’s my speechwriter (laughter) – five streams – who’s wonderful, by the way – five streams of action that make up our approach to water issues.
First, we need to build capacity at the local, national, and regional levels. Countries and communities must take the lead in securing their own water futures. And, particularly in areas where we have serious, committed partners, we should work to expand their ability to address water challenges.
We are looking at ways to work with international partners to support the development and implementation of country-led water and sanitation plans. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is supporting countries that are committed to making needed reforms, improving governance, and taking on the tough development challenges that surround the issue of water. USAID is working at a grassroots level and with national ministries to improve governance and capacity-building.
We need to strengthen regional cooperative mechanisms for managing water resources that transcend national boundaries. Now, we usually look at maps and see political units. But in order to meet the challenge presented by water security, we need to start viewing the water in terms of natural water boundaries such as watersheds, river basins, and aquifers. There are more than 260 river basins in the world that flow through different nations. We cannot address the water challenges of these countries in isolation. We should view every regional watershed or aquifer as an opportunity for stronger international cooperation.
Done right, there could be huge political and economic benefits from regional water diplomacy. The Nile River basin, for example, is home to 180 million people spread throughout ten East African countries. Many of these nations are mired in poverty, and seven of them have experienced recent conflicts. But experts estimate that cooperative management of the basin’s water resources could increase economic growth – increase it enough to pull many of these countries out of poverty and provide a foundation for greater regional stability.
We are also looking to take advantage of regional platforms, such as the African Ministers Council on Water and the soon-to-be-established Center of Excellence on Water in the Middle East. We hope these programs will serve as hubs for connecting local countries to each other, and also to universities, laboratories, and research groups worldwide that share an interest in water issues.
Now, of course, the National Geographic is ahead of all of us, as always, with this wonderful special issue on Water: Our Thirsty World. And one of their handy maps that I used to have to study all the time when I was in school, has a World of Rivers, a new mapping of every river system, really giving life to what it is we are proposing.
Second, we need to elevate our diplomatic efforts and we need to better coordinate them. More than 24 UN agencies and other intergovernmental bodies are engaged on water issues. And multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, and other international financial institutions have acquired deep experience working on water challenges. But the work of these bodies has often suffered from a lack of coordination and high-level attention. The joint G8-Africa Leader’s Statement on Water at the last G8 Summit in L’Aquila sent a message that water issues are a priority for the international community. And we are committed to following through on that by elevating water issues within intergovernmental organizations, the international financial institutions, and other regional and global bodies.
Water is actually a test case for preventive diplomacy. Historically, many long-term global challenges – including water – have been left to fester for years until they grew so serious that they could no longer be ignored. If we can rally the world to address the water issue now, we can take early corrective action, and get ahead of the challenges that await us. And in doing so, we can establish a positive precedent for early action to address other serious issues of global concern.
The third element of our water strategy is mobilizing financial support. Managing water issues requires resources. And in some cases, the United States will be able to provide assistance. We’ve seen how relatively small grants can have a vast impact on water security. Ten years ago in Ecuador, USAID began several years of technical assistance to support the establishment of a water trust fund for the future protection of Quito’s watershed. Today, thanks to the work of many partners, that fund has grown to $6 million; it provides $800,000 a year for conservation efforts. For the American people – and for the people of Ecuador – that represents a spectacular return on our investment. Other U.S. grants are targeted to support hygiene and sanitation projects or water quality improvements that involve small-scale hardware such as household water purification technology. And we are making critical investments in programs that promote behavior that contributes to good sanitation and hygiene.
In some instances, we are also providing assistance for larger infrastructure projects as well. In Jordan, USAID has helped build a desalination plant, a wastewater treatment facility, and water supply and sanitation systems that serve more than two million people. We are backing similar large-scale projects in several countries that are receiving assistance through the Millennium Challenge Corporation. MCC-supported water programs are improving irrigation systems, rebuilding critical infrastructure, and increasing access to clean water and sanitation. Overall, the MCC has invested $1.3 billion so far in country-led water programs. Now, we won’t be able to provide that type of support everywhere. But we hope that these projects will send a message to governments in developing countries that if they adopt sound policies and serious reforms, the United States will help them deliver sustainable water solutions that benefit their people. And a government’s success in providing water and sanitation services is a leading indicator of its determination to deliver other vital services.
The United States is also working to strengthen capital markets and provide credit enhancements with the goal of mobilizing resources inside developing countries. In many cases, there is enough capital in developing nations to fund water projects. But the money sits in financial institutions rather than working for the public good. USAID has pioneered the use of innovative tools to manage the risk associated with investing in water and sanitation infrastructure. As a result, we’ve been able to mobilize local capital to help solve water issues. In some cases, they have leveraged U.S. funds at twenty-to-one ratios.
And also, we are very interested in the not-for-profit organizations like Acumen and others that are helping to create for-profit models in India and elsewhere, which have been proven to be quite successful thus far.
Fourth, we must harness the power of science and technology. There is no technological silver bullet for dealing with water scarcity, although we have had success with simple solutions such as ceramic filters and chlorine disinfectant. But there are a number of areas where science and technological innovation can make a huge impact, and U.S. Government agencies are on the cutting edge of many global efforts to assess and address water challenges. Researchers working in U.S. agencies have discovered better techniques for disinfecting and storing drinking water, for predicting floods and droughts, and for improving the productivity of water for food and economic growth. We have also seen progress on new technologies for waste water treatment, desalinization, and the use of global information systems. We need to work harder to share this knowledge with the rest of the world.
For that reason, we are taking a whole-of-government approach to this issue. Beyond the State Department, USAID, and the MCC, we are harnessing the expertise of our technical agencies, the knowledge of the intelligence community, and the best practices from those who have been working on these challenges right here in the United States.
One example is a joint USAID-NASA initiative to create an earth observation monitoring and visualization system in the Himalayas. The glaciers in that mountain range serve as the water tower of Asia, providing the water supply for more than 1.3 billion people. In cooperation with nearby countries, USAID and NASA are developing a system that will provide a clearer picture of water supply and demand for the region and facilitate efforts to adapt to climate change.
Just as we are reaching out across the U.S. Government to help deal with these challenges, we also need to leverage the full-range of our relationships beyond government. That’s why the final aspect of our water efforts is broadening the scope of our partnerships. By focusing on our strengths and leveraging our efforts against the work of others, we can deliver results that are greater than the sum of the parts.
NGOs and nonprofits, including many of the organizations represented here, already play a vital role as implementers and advocates. Private philanthropic organizations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Rotary International, are also increasingly engaged on water and sanitation as well.
The private sector is another area where we need to build stronger partnerships. Some companies such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have core business interests that are related to water issues and a history of working to improve water standards and efficiency. But even in industries that seem disconnected from water, a focus on the issues can have a significant impact. For example, Intel conserved over three billion gallons of water last year and more than 30 billion gallons worldwide over the last decade.
We want to identify strategic opportunities for working with private firms, and bring their technical skills and capital to bear in addressing the challenges facing the water sector. At the State Department, we are going to elevate water issues within our Global Partnership Initiatives, and on March 23rd, which is tomorrow, we will be holding the first of what I expect will be many meetings with corporations and foundations to examine how better to address water challenges through public-private partnerships and work together toward long-term collaboration.
Now, channeling these five streams of action into a mighty river that runs across our entire diplomatic and development agenda will not be easy. But fortunately, we have the right team for the job. I’ve asked Under Secretary Otero and USAID Administrator Raj Shah to lead our work on this issue. Raj is traveling today, or he would be with us.
But they will work to ensure that we take a comprehensive approach. Regardless of whether we’re working on watershed management, efficiency, production, or sanitation, we need to look at this challenge holistically. Maria and Raj will be responsible for keeping the big picture in mind.
So as we move forward, they will help us identify what’s working, and what’s not. They’ll help us invest in those approaches that are delivering sustainable, measurable results. And they’ll also enable us to keep a long-term perspective on this challenge. We need to make sure that the work we do on water issues is not just of the moment, but truly does stand the test of time.
As we face this challenge, one thing that will endure is the United States’ commitment to water issues. We are in this for the long haul. I am convinced that if we empower communities and countries to meet their own challenges, expand our diplomatic efforts, make sound investments, foster innovation, and build effective partnerships, we can make real progress together and seize this historic opportunity.
Now, we need to do this for ourselves, but also need to do it for future generations. We see one vision of the world’s water future in places like Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, where the city is in serious jeopardy of running out of ground water in the coming years.
But there is also a prospect for a much better future in which we do come together to make the decisions to secure the resources for coming generations. And it’s not only for the benefit of individuals, but it helps to create a future where all of us can be more respectful of our environment, more appreciative of water, which is truly at the core of life; give us a greater appreciation of our common humanity.
The water that we use today has been circulating through the earth since time began. It must sustain humanity for as long as we live on this earth. In that sense, we didn’t just inherit this resource from our parents; we are truly, as many indigenous cultures remind us, borrowing it from our children. It is my hope that by making water a front-burner issue, a high priority in our national and international dialogues, we can give our children and our children’s-children the future they deserve.
Many of you are experts. You have given your professional lives to working on behalf of water. I am here to thank you. Thank you for what you’ve done. I know how important it is. Perhaps you don’t see it in the headlines, but often it’s in the trend lines. Often, it’s under the radar. Often, it is one of the root causes of what makes it into the top news broadcasts. So what you’re doing is not only on behalf of water, not even just on behalf of development. It’s on behalf of peace, prosperity, opportunity, security. And we want to be a good partner with each of you and all those who see water as a necessary part of the American foreign policy agenda.
I’m excited about what lies ahead, and I look forward to working with you, and I thank you for this opportunity to come and talk before you. (Applause.)
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
National Geographic Society
Washington, DC
March 22, 2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you. Thank you very much. It is always a great pleasure to be here at the National Geographic Society, one of the treasures not only of Washington but of our country. And I thank Gil Grosvenor and everyone associated with the Society. I appreciate Maria Otero for her introduction. The water advocates who are gathered here today, thank you for your work.
And I want to recognize the other speakers who are participating, including the congressman. You know Earl is a champion of quality of life issues, and I think when he started in the Congress he was a little bit of a lonely voice. But gradually, people have seen the connections between a lot of the big issues of the day that take up the headlines and the day-to-day concerns of how people live, how they interact, how they commute. I want to tell Earl that I just inaugurated the showers for bikers at the State Department – (applause) – and I thought of you because the bikers gave me one of your bicycle signals. So we’re making progress, slowly but surely.
I know that you heard from my friend, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for Water in Africa, and has already addressed you via video. And I also want to be sure to recognize the diplomatic community that is here today. The head of our Millennium Challenge Corporation, Daniel Yohannes – thank you, Daniel. Maybe people haven’t met you yet, but I want everyone to do so. (Applause.)
And I just appreciate coming today because I can’t think of a better way to mark World Water Day and I can’t think of a better person to be the MC than Hattie Babbitt. Hattie’s been a friend of mine for a long time and has been involved in so many important issues, and I’m so pleased to see her today.
Water – it kind of goes without saying – certainly deserves the attention it’s receiving today. Because in many ways, it does define our blue planet. It’s critical to almost every aspect of human endeavor, from agriculture, to industry, to energy. Like the air we breathe, it is vital to the health of individuals and communities. And both literally and figuratively, water represents the wellspring of life on earth.
Now, of course, water can also bring devastation. Floods and droughts now touch more people than all other natural disasters combined. And inadequate access to water supply, sanitation, and hygiene cause the deaths of more than 1.5 million children each year. Water challenges are most obvious in developing nations, but they affect every country on earth. And they transcend political boundaries. As water becomes increasingly scarce, it may become a potential catalyst for conflict among – and within – countries.
As I speak today, a young family in North Dakota is huddled together praying that the Red River won’t overflow its banks again and destroy their home. A farmer in Southern China is realizing that amid the worst drought in 60 years, he just may not be able to plant his crops this Spring. A mother living in Ethiopia is carrying a jerry can of water back to her family, hoping she won’t be attacked along the way. Water issues are an urgent concern every day of every year for individuals, communities, and countries around the world.
And as pressing as water issues are now, they will become even more important in the near future. Experts predict – and many of you are in this audience who are experts – that by 2025, just 15 years from now, nearly two-thirds of the world’s countries will be water-stressed. Many sources of freshwater will be under additional strain from climate change and population growth. And 2.4 billion people will face absolute water scarcity – the point at which a lack of water threatens social and economic development.
But water challenges are not an inevitable cause of crisis. With the right policies and priorities, and with the will, many countries in arid climates are managing water resources effectively. In the process, they are delivering tangible results for their people, encouraging sustainable economic development, and promoting stability across their regions.
Access to reliable supplies of clean water is a matter of human security. It’s also a matter of national security. And that’s why President Obama and I recognize that water issues are integral to the success of many of our major foreign policy initiatives.
The United States is making major investments to combat preventable diseases and improve child survival through our Global Health Initiative. Increasing access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene will help save lives that are now being lost to preventable diseases.
Seventy percent of the world’s water use is devoted to agriculture, and the outcome of our work to promote global food security depends in part on having a successful water policy and sound water management. Floods and droughts can wipe out crops, and decimate economies that depend on agriculture.
We are also working to empower women around the world, because depending upon which continent we’re talking about, the average is 60 percent of the farmers are women. In addition to that, women who gain access to sanitation, who are freed from the burden of walking for hours each day just to locate and carry water, will find it easier to invest time and energy in their families and communities.
The stability of young governments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other nations depends in part on their ability to provide their people with access to water and sanitation. A lack of water, sanitation, and irrigation we know leads to economic decline, and even can lead to unrest and instability.
Part of being serious about dealing with and adapting to climate change is about being serious about water. As the earth warms, rainfall patterns can shift, bringing new patterns of drought and flooding. And we need to get out in front of that problem.
Successful engagement on water can also affect how our country is perceived in the world. We spend a lot of time working on issues such as terrorism and arms control and nuclear proliferation. These are obviously important topics that deserve our attention. But the reality is that they are not problems most people deal with on a day-to-day basis. Water is different. When we demonstrate our concern for the issue, it speaks to individuals on a whole different level. Everyone knows sensation of thirst firsthand. We all have daily personal experience that we can think about and relate to, even if the nature and magnitude of that experience varies widely. Our ability to satisfy our need for water depends on our location and our circumstances. But as a matter of biological necessity, access to safe, sustainable supplies of water is a priority for everyone on the planet.
In the United States, water represents one of the great diplomatic and development opportunities of our time. It’s not every day you find an issue where effective diplomacy and development will allow you to save millions of lives, feed the hungry, empower women, advance our national security interests, protect the environment, and demonstrate to billions of people that the United States cares, cares about you and your welfare. Water is that issue.
Now, we know that this challenge is much too large for the United States – or any one nation – to address alone. Even if all of the world’s development aid were directed toward water and sanitation efforts, the resources still wouldn’t be enough to meet the needs of developing countries. So we need to work together to leverage the efforts of other nations, the international community, and partners in the nonprofit and private sectors. Today, I want to discuss five streams – that’s my speechwriter (laughter) – five streams – who’s wonderful, by the way – five streams of action that make up our approach to water issues.
First, we need to build capacity at the local, national, and regional levels. Countries and communities must take the lead in securing their own water futures. And, particularly in areas where we have serious, committed partners, we should work to expand their ability to address water challenges.
We are looking at ways to work with international partners to support the development and implementation of country-led water and sanitation plans. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is supporting countries that are committed to making needed reforms, improving governance, and taking on the tough development challenges that surround the issue of water. USAID is working at a grassroots level and with national ministries to improve governance and capacity-building.
We need to strengthen regional cooperative mechanisms for managing water resources that transcend national boundaries. Now, we usually look at maps and see political units. But in order to meet the challenge presented by water security, we need to start viewing the water in terms of natural water boundaries such as watersheds, river basins, and aquifers. There are more than 260 river basins in the world that flow through different nations. We cannot address the water challenges of these countries in isolation. We should view every regional watershed or aquifer as an opportunity for stronger international cooperation.
Done right, there could be huge political and economic benefits from regional water diplomacy. The Nile River basin, for example, is home to 180 million people spread throughout ten East African countries. Many of these nations are mired in poverty, and seven of them have experienced recent conflicts. But experts estimate that cooperative management of the basin’s water resources could increase economic growth – increase it enough to pull many of these countries out of poverty and provide a foundation for greater regional stability.
We are also looking to take advantage of regional platforms, such as the African Ministers Council on Water and the soon-to-be-established Center of Excellence on Water in the Middle East. We hope these programs will serve as hubs for connecting local countries to each other, and also to universities, laboratories, and research groups worldwide that share an interest in water issues.
Now, of course, the National Geographic is ahead of all of us, as always, with this wonderful special issue on Water: Our Thirsty World. And one of their handy maps that I used to have to study all the time when I was in school, has a World of Rivers, a new mapping of every river system, really giving life to what it is we are proposing.
Second, we need to elevate our diplomatic efforts and we need to better coordinate them. More than 24 UN agencies and other intergovernmental bodies are engaged on water issues. And multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, and other international financial institutions have acquired deep experience working on water challenges. But the work of these bodies has often suffered from a lack of coordination and high-level attention. The joint G8-Africa Leader’s Statement on Water at the last G8 Summit in L’Aquila sent a message that water issues are a priority for the international community. And we are committed to following through on that by elevating water issues within intergovernmental organizations, the international financial institutions, and other regional and global bodies.
Water is actually a test case for preventive diplomacy. Historically, many long-term global challenges – including water – have been left to fester for years until they grew so serious that they could no longer be ignored. If we can rally the world to address the water issue now, we can take early corrective action, and get ahead of the challenges that await us. And in doing so, we can establish a positive precedent for early action to address other serious issues of global concern.
The third element of our water strategy is mobilizing financial support. Managing water issues requires resources. And in some cases, the United States will be able to provide assistance. We’ve seen how relatively small grants can have a vast impact on water security. Ten years ago in Ecuador, USAID began several years of technical assistance to support the establishment of a water trust fund for the future protection of Quito’s watershed. Today, thanks to the work of many partners, that fund has grown to $6 million; it provides $800,000 a year for conservation efforts. For the American people – and for the people of Ecuador – that represents a spectacular return on our investment. Other U.S. grants are targeted to support hygiene and sanitation projects or water quality improvements that involve small-scale hardware such as household water purification technology. And we are making critical investments in programs that promote behavior that contributes to good sanitation and hygiene.
In some instances, we are also providing assistance for larger infrastructure projects as well. In Jordan, USAID has helped build a desalination plant, a wastewater treatment facility, and water supply and sanitation systems that serve more than two million people. We are backing similar large-scale projects in several countries that are receiving assistance through the Millennium Challenge Corporation. MCC-supported water programs are improving irrigation systems, rebuilding critical infrastructure, and increasing access to clean water and sanitation. Overall, the MCC has invested $1.3 billion so far in country-led water programs. Now, we won’t be able to provide that type of support everywhere. But we hope that these projects will send a message to governments in developing countries that if they adopt sound policies and serious reforms, the United States will help them deliver sustainable water solutions that benefit their people. And a government’s success in providing water and sanitation services is a leading indicator of its determination to deliver other vital services.
The United States is also working to strengthen capital markets and provide credit enhancements with the goal of mobilizing resources inside developing countries. In many cases, there is enough capital in developing nations to fund water projects. But the money sits in financial institutions rather than working for the public good. USAID has pioneered the use of innovative tools to manage the risk associated with investing in water and sanitation infrastructure. As a result, we’ve been able to mobilize local capital to help solve water issues. In some cases, they have leveraged U.S. funds at twenty-to-one ratios.
And also, we are very interested in the not-for-profit organizations like Acumen and others that are helping to create for-profit models in India and elsewhere, which have been proven to be quite successful thus far.
Fourth, we must harness the power of science and technology. There is no technological silver bullet for dealing with water scarcity, although we have had success with simple solutions such as ceramic filters and chlorine disinfectant. But there are a number of areas where science and technological innovation can make a huge impact, and U.S. Government agencies are on the cutting edge of many global efforts to assess and address water challenges. Researchers working in U.S. agencies have discovered better techniques for disinfecting and storing drinking water, for predicting floods and droughts, and for improving the productivity of water for food and economic growth. We have also seen progress on new technologies for waste water treatment, desalinization, and the use of global information systems. We need to work harder to share this knowledge with the rest of the world.
For that reason, we are taking a whole-of-government approach to this issue. Beyond the State Department, USAID, and the MCC, we are harnessing the expertise of our technical agencies, the knowledge of the intelligence community, and the best practices from those who have been working on these challenges right here in the United States.
One example is a joint USAID-NASA initiative to create an earth observation monitoring and visualization system in the Himalayas. The glaciers in that mountain range serve as the water tower of Asia, providing the water supply for more than 1.3 billion people. In cooperation with nearby countries, USAID and NASA are developing a system that will provide a clearer picture of water supply and demand for the region and facilitate efforts to adapt to climate change.
Just as we are reaching out across the U.S. Government to help deal with these challenges, we also need to leverage the full-range of our relationships beyond government. That’s why the final aspect of our water efforts is broadening the scope of our partnerships. By focusing on our strengths and leveraging our efforts against the work of others, we can deliver results that are greater than the sum of the parts.
NGOs and nonprofits, including many of the organizations represented here, already play a vital role as implementers and advocates. Private philanthropic organizations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Rotary International, are also increasingly engaged on water and sanitation as well.
The private sector is another area where we need to build stronger partnerships. Some companies such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have core business interests that are related to water issues and a history of working to improve water standards and efficiency. But even in industries that seem disconnected from water, a focus on the issues can have a significant impact. For example, Intel conserved over three billion gallons of water last year and more than 30 billion gallons worldwide over the last decade.
We want to identify strategic opportunities for working with private firms, and bring their technical skills and capital to bear in addressing the challenges facing the water sector. At the State Department, we are going to elevate water issues within our Global Partnership Initiatives, and on March 23rd, which is tomorrow, we will be holding the first of what I expect will be many meetings with corporations and foundations to examine how better to address water challenges through public-private partnerships and work together toward long-term collaboration.
Now, channeling these five streams of action into a mighty river that runs across our entire diplomatic and development agenda will not be easy. But fortunately, we have the right team for the job. I’ve asked Under Secretary Otero and USAID Administrator Raj Shah to lead our work on this issue. Raj is traveling today, or he would be with us.
But they will work to ensure that we take a comprehensive approach. Regardless of whether we’re working on watershed management, efficiency, production, or sanitation, we need to look at this challenge holistically. Maria and Raj will be responsible for keeping the big picture in mind.
So as we move forward, they will help us identify what’s working, and what’s not. They’ll help us invest in those approaches that are delivering sustainable, measurable results. And they’ll also enable us to keep a long-term perspective on this challenge. We need to make sure that the work we do on water issues is not just of the moment, but truly does stand the test of time.
As we face this challenge, one thing that will endure is the United States’ commitment to water issues. We are in this for the long haul. I am convinced that if we empower communities and countries to meet their own challenges, expand our diplomatic efforts, make sound investments, foster innovation, and build effective partnerships, we can make real progress together and seize this historic opportunity.
Now, we need to do this for ourselves, but also need to do it for future generations. We see one vision of the world’s water future in places like Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, where the city is in serious jeopardy of running out of ground water in the coming years.
But there is also a prospect for a much better future in which we do come together to make the decisions to secure the resources for coming generations. And it’s not only for the benefit of individuals, but it helps to create a future where all of us can be more respectful of our environment, more appreciative of water, which is truly at the core of life; give us a greater appreciation of our common humanity.
The water that we use today has been circulating through the earth since time began. It must sustain humanity for as long as we live on this earth. In that sense, we didn’t just inherit this resource from our parents; we are truly, as many indigenous cultures remind us, borrowing it from our children. It is my hope that by making water a front-burner issue, a high priority in our national and international dialogues, we can give our children and our children’s-children the future they deserve.
Many of you are experts. You have given your professional lives to working on behalf of water. I am here to thank you. Thank you for what you’ve done. I know how important it is. Perhaps you don’t see it in the headlines, but often it’s in the trend lines. Often, it’s under the radar. Often, it is one of the root causes of what makes it into the top news broadcasts. So what you’re doing is not only on behalf of water, not even just on behalf of development. It’s on behalf of peace, prosperity, opportunity, security. And we want to be a good partner with each of you and all those who see water as a necessary part of the American foreign policy agenda.
I’m excited about what lies ahead, and I look forward to working with you, and I thank you for this opportunity to come and talk before you. (Applause.)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Water for the World Act - next steps on March 23, 2010
See article below from Circle of Blue. And a quick update: the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing will indeed take place on March 23. Link here.
Senate Committee to Vote on Clean Drinking Water Bill
March 17, 2010
The bill emphasizes the importance of water and sanitation in U.S. foreign aid.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote at its next business meeting on a bill to provide safe drinking water to 100 million people, according to a committee staff member.
The meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 23, the staff member told Circle of Blue.
The Paul Simon Water for the World Act was introduced nearly one year ago, but has not been acted on by the Foreign Relations Committee.
“Our bill will reestablish U.S. leadership on water around the world,” said the bill’s sponsor, Senator Richard Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, at a press conference in 2009.
“By bringing safe water and basic sanitation to 100 million of the world’s poorest people, the Paul Simon Water for the World Act will make America safer by reaffirming our standing as a leader in the fight to end global poverty,” Durbin said. “It will help prevent humanitarian catastrophes and dangerous conflicts around the world.”
To help provide clean drinking water, the bill would create an Office of Water within the U.S. Agency for International Development and a diplomatic position in the State Department to increase the importance of water and sanitation for U.S. foreign policy.
Currently, water policy at USAID is managed across several offices and bureaus.
Members of both political parties are among the 30 co-sponsors. Similar legislation — the Water for the Poor Act — was passed in 2005, establishing the United Nations Millennium Development Goal targets for water and sanitation as key elements of U.S. foreign assistance programs. The current bill gives more detailed guidance on how to achieve those goals.
Meanwhile, the House version of the bill is being held up in the Foreign Affairs Committee because it is part of a larger overhaul of foreign aid legislation, according to committee communications director Lynne Weil.
In order to restructure the U.S. water policy bureaucracy, both Senate and House versions of the bill would amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Howard Berman, Democrat of California, is working on re-writing that act, which guides how the U.S. conducts its foreign aid programs.
“Any legislation that amends the Foreign Assistance Act is being considered for inclusion in the foreign assistance reform bill,” Weil told Circle of Blue. “That’s why individual pieces haven’t been considered separately.”
Berman’s bill, the Foreign Assistance Reform Act, would require the President to submit a national strategy for reducing global poverty and assisting economic growth in developing countries. The legislation would create an advisory council to complete annual assessments of the effectiveness of foreign aid programs.
Weil said that Berman intends to introduce the bill later this year.
Senate Committee to Vote on Clean Drinking Water Bill
March 17, 2010
The bill emphasizes the importance of water and sanitation in U.S. foreign aid.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote at its next business meeting on a bill to provide safe drinking water to 100 million people, according to a committee staff member.
The meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 23, the staff member told Circle of Blue.
The Paul Simon Water for the World Act was introduced nearly one year ago, but has not been acted on by the Foreign Relations Committee.
“Our bill will reestablish U.S. leadership on water around the world,” said the bill’s sponsor, Senator Richard Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, at a press conference in 2009.
“By bringing safe water and basic sanitation to 100 million of the world’s poorest people, the Paul Simon Water for the World Act will make America safer by reaffirming our standing as a leader in the fight to end global poverty,” Durbin said. “It will help prevent humanitarian catastrophes and dangerous conflicts around the world.”
To help provide clean drinking water, the bill would create an Office of Water within the U.S. Agency for International Development and a diplomatic position in the State Department to increase the importance of water and sanitation for U.S. foreign policy.
Currently, water policy at USAID is managed across several offices and bureaus.
Members of both political parties are among the 30 co-sponsors. Similar legislation — the Water for the Poor Act — was passed in 2005, establishing the United Nations Millennium Development Goal targets for water and sanitation as key elements of U.S. foreign assistance programs. The current bill gives more detailed guidance on how to achieve those goals.
Meanwhile, the House version of the bill is being held up in the Foreign Affairs Committee because it is part of a larger overhaul of foreign aid legislation, according to committee communications director Lynne Weil.
In order to restructure the U.S. water policy bureaucracy, both Senate and House versions of the bill would amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Howard Berman, Democrat of California, is working on re-writing that act, which guides how the U.S. conducts its foreign aid programs.
“Any legislation that amends the Foreign Assistance Act is being considered for inclusion in the foreign assistance reform bill,” Weil told Circle of Blue. “That’s why individual pieces haven’t been considered separately.”
Berman’s bill, the Foreign Assistance Reform Act, would require the President to submit a national strategy for reducing global poverty and assisting economic growth in developing countries. The legislation would create an advisory council to complete annual assessments of the effectiveness of foreign aid programs.
Weil said that Berman intends to introduce the bill later this year.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
'World's Most Useful Tree' Provides Low-Cost Water
Who can tell me if they have any experience with this tree? I'll read the article in the Microbiology Journal (below) AFTER World Water Day (March 22), but for now here goes:
'World's Most Useful Tree' Provides Low-Cost Water Purification Method For Developing World'
March 3, 2010
A low-cost water purification technique published in Current Protocols in Microbiology could help drastically reduce the incidence of waterborne disease in the developing world. The procedure, which uses seeds from the Moringa oleifera tree, can produce a 90.00% to 99.99% bacterial reduction in previously untreated water, and has been made free to download as part of access programs under John Wiley & Sons' Corporate Citizenship Initiative.
A billion people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are estimated to rely on untreated surface water sources for their daily water needs. Of these, some two million are thought to die from diseases caught from contaminated water every year, with the majority of these deaths occurring among children under five years of age. Michael Lea, a Current Protocols author and a researcher at Clearinghouse, a Canadian organisation dedicated to investigating and implementing low-cost water purification technologies, believes the Moringa oleifera tree could go a long way to providing a solution.
"Moringa oleifera is a vegetable tree which is grown in Africa, Central and South America, the Indian subcontinent, and South East Asia. It could be considered to be one of the world's most useful trees," said Lea. "Not only is it drought resistant, it also yields cooking and lighting oil, soil fertilizer, as well as highly nutritious food in the form of its pods, leaves, seeds and flowers. Perhaps most importantly, its seeds can be used to purify drinking water at virtually no cost."
Moringa tree seeds, when crushed into powder, can be used as a water-soluble extract in suspension, resulting in an effective natural clarification agent for highly turbid and untreated pathogenic surface water. As well as improving drinkability, this technique reduces water turbidity (cloudiness) making the result aesthetically as well as microbiologically more acceptable for human consumption.
Despite its live-saving potential, the technique is still not widely known, even in areas where the Moringa is routinely cultivated. It is therefore Lea's hope that the publication of this technique in a freely available protocol format, a first, will make it easier to disseminate the procedure to the communities that need it.
"This technique does not represent a total solution to the threat of waterborne disease," concluded Lea. "However, given that the cultivation and use of the Moringa tree can bring benefits in the shape of nutrition and income as well as of far purer water, there is the possibility that thousands of 21st century families could find themselves liberated from what should now be universally seen as19th century causes of death and disease. This is an amazing prospect, and one in which a huge amount of human potential could be released. This is particularly mind-boggling when you think it might all come down to one incredibly useful tree."
SOURCE: Wiley-Blackwell
'World's Most Useful Tree' Provides Low-Cost Water Purification Method For Developing World'
March 3, 2010
A low-cost water purification technique published in Current Protocols in Microbiology could help drastically reduce the incidence of waterborne disease in the developing world. The procedure, which uses seeds from the Moringa oleifera tree, can produce a 90.00% to 99.99% bacterial reduction in previously untreated water, and has been made free to download as part of access programs under John Wiley & Sons' Corporate Citizenship Initiative.
A billion people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America are estimated to rely on untreated surface water sources for their daily water needs. Of these, some two million are thought to die from diseases caught from contaminated water every year, with the majority of these deaths occurring among children under five years of age. Michael Lea, a Current Protocols author and a researcher at Clearinghouse, a Canadian organisation dedicated to investigating and implementing low-cost water purification technologies, believes the Moringa oleifera tree could go a long way to providing a solution.
"Moringa oleifera is a vegetable tree which is grown in Africa, Central and South America, the Indian subcontinent, and South East Asia. It could be considered to be one of the world's most useful trees," said Lea. "Not only is it drought resistant, it also yields cooking and lighting oil, soil fertilizer, as well as highly nutritious food in the form of its pods, leaves, seeds and flowers. Perhaps most importantly, its seeds can be used to purify drinking water at virtually no cost."
Moringa tree seeds, when crushed into powder, can be used as a water-soluble extract in suspension, resulting in an effective natural clarification agent for highly turbid and untreated pathogenic surface water. As well as improving drinkability, this technique reduces water turbidity (cloudiness) making the result aesthetically as well as microbiologically more acceptable for human consumption.
Despite its live-saving potential, the technique is still not widely known, even in areas where the Moringa is routinely cultivated. It is therefore Lea's hope that the publication of this technique in a freely available protocol format, a first, will make it easier to disseminate the procedure to the communities that need it.
"This technique does not represent a total solution to the threat of waterborne disease," concluded Lea. "However, given that the cultivation and use of the Moringa tree can bring benefits in the shape of nutrition and income as well as of far purer water, there is the possibility that thousands of 21st century families could find themselves liberated from what should now be universally seen as19th century causes of death and disease. This is an amazing prospect, and one in which a huge amount of human potential could be released. This is particularly mind-boggling when you think it might all come down to one incredibly useful tree."
SOURCE: Wiley-Blackwell
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Abel Wolman Lecture 2010: Flowing Water, In and For Cities
WELL worth your time if you are in/around DC on April 14th.
2010 Abel Wolman Lecture
Flowing Water, In and For Cities
Dr. Judy L. Meyer
Distinguished Research Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia
4:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, 2010
National Academy of Sciences Keck Center 500 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC Register at http://nationalacademies.org/wstb
Flowing Water, In and For Cities
We live in a rapidly urbanizing world whose cities depend upon but also profoundly impact flowing water ecosystems. Headwater stream ecosystems are crucial capillaries of river networks, but these tributaries are under appreciated, poorly protected, and particularly vulnerable to the impacts of urbanization. These impacts result in an "urban stream syndrome" that has multiple symptoms and causes, many of which will be exacerbated under future climate conditions. Some municipalities have recognized these threats to the ecosystem services provided by flowing water and have pioneered approaches that reduce the impacts of urbanization on streams and rivers. These innovations provide benefits now and offer hope for the future. These are the topics on which Judy Meyer will focus in her 2010 Abel Wolman Lecture.
RSVP to attend here.
2010 Abel Wolman Lecture
Flowing Water, In and For Cities
Dr. Judy L. Meyer
Distinguished Research Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia
4:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, 2010
National Academy of Sciences Keck Center 500 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC Register at http://nationalacademies.org/wstb
Flowing Water, In and For Cities
We live in a rapidly urbanizing world whose cities depend upon but also profoundly impact flowing water ecosystems. Headwater stream ecosystems are crucial capillaries of river networks, but these tributaries are under appreciated, poorly protected, and particularly vulnerable to the impacts of urbanization. These impacts result in an "urban stream syndrome" that has multiple symptoms and causes, many of which will be exacerbated under future climate conditions. Some municipalities have recognized these threats to the ecosystem services provided by flowing water and have pioneered approaches that reduce the impacts of urbanization on streams and rivers. These innovations provide benefits now and offer hope for the future. These are the topics on which Judy Meyer will focus in her 2010 Abel Wolman Lecture.
RSVP to attend here.
International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and Diageo come together for Water
The International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) is working with Diageo (one of my favorite companies ever) to host a series of water meetings in Africa.
Meetings will take place during World Water Week (March 22-26) in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon (Kenya and South Africa later). Water experts and advocates in those countries should be aware of these meetings and hopefully participate.
A good place to learn more is:
http://water-a-business-imperative.ning.com/
More details from their site:
Water: A Business Imperative is a series of business-led roundtables with government, NGO and UN representatives to discuss water policy and management. The series will take place around the world, beginning with local events in five African countries during the week of 22-26 March 2010 in recognition of the UN World Water Day on March 22. The initiative will culminate in New York at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit in June.
The roundtable events will begin to identify operational pathways through which companies can contribute to water policy goals, highlighting which methods of engagement have proved effective and equitable, and describing some of the common pitfalls of engagement. The dialogue will also provide the basis for general strategies to address shared risks and principles that can be applied to all types of engagement. The ultimate objective of Water: A Business Imperative is to facilitate responsible corporate engagement with water policy in a manner that reduces business risks while simultaneously advancing policy goals and positively impacting nearby communities and ecosystems.
A white paper will be produced from each roundtable, documenting and analysing the concepts, practical steps, and case studies discussed. Each of the five national white papers will be presented at the UN CEO Water Mandate forum in April 2010 to provide an African business perspective on water public policy. Together, the white papers represent an important part of the private sector’s contribution to the UN Millennium Development Goal 7 - improving access to water and sanitation.
..Objectives.The overarching objective of Water: A Business Imperative is to:
•Provide examples of responsible corporate engagement on water policy in Africa
Locally in Africa, the objectives are to:
•Identify examples of how companies can collectively contribute to national water policy goals
•Build the business case as to why companies should contribute to national water policy goals by identifying shared risks and highlighting business benefits
•Collectively agree on action points to achieve the UN MDG 7
One of the key outcomes of the each roundtable will be to provide participants with a framework that allows them to align different hydrologic, economic, and political contexts with the appropriate policy engagement responses. The country discussions will aim to explore how the parties involved – both corporate and non-corporate – influence corporate approaches to engagement as well as outcomes. Dialogue on corporate water policy engagement will enable businesses to:
•Identify common business challenges or concerns about water
•Identify resources and activities businesses can do to address or reduce these challenges
•Identify what partnerships are needed to address or reduce these challenges
•Identify how core competencies of businesses and other stakeholders can help achieve the UN MDGs
Meetings will take place during World Water Week (March 22-26) in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon (Kenya and South Africa later). Water experts and advocates in those countries should be aware of these meetings and hopefully participate.
A good place to learn more is:
http://water-a-business-imperative.ning.com/
More details from their site:
Water: A Business Imperative is a series of business-led roundtables with government, NGO and UN representatives to discuss water policy and management. The series will take place around the world, beginning with local events in five African countries during the week of 22-26 March 2010 in recognition of the UN World Water Day on March 22. The initiative will culminate in New York at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit in June.
The roundtable events will begin to identify operational pathways through which companies can contribute to water policy goals, highlighting which methods of engagement have proved effective and equitable, and describing some of the common pitfalls of engagement. The dialogue will also provide the basis for general strategies to address shared risks and principles that can be applied to all types of engagement. The ultimate objective of Water: A Business Imperative is to facilitate responsible corporate engagement with water policy in a manner that reduces business risks while simultaneously advancing policy goals and positively impacting nearby communities and ecosystems.
A white paper will be produced from each roundtable, documenting and analysing the concepts, practical steps, and case studies discussed. Each of the five national white papers will be presented at the UN CEO Water Mandate forum in April 2010 to provide an African business perspective on water public policy. Together, the white papers represent an important part of the private sector’s contribution to the UN Millennium Development Goal 7 - improving access to water and sanitation.
..Objectives.The overarching objective of Water: A Business Imperative is to:
•Provide examples of responsible corporate engagement on water policy in Africa
Locally in Africa, the objectives are to:
•Identify examples of how companies can collectively contribute to national water policy goals
•Build the business case as to why companies should contribute to national water policy goals by identifying shared risks and highlighting business benefits
•Collectively agree on action points to achieve the UN MDG 7
One of the key outcomes of the each roundtable will be to provide participants with a framework that allows them to align different hydrologic, economic, and political contexts with the appropriate policy engagement responses. The country discussions will aim to explore how the parties involved – both corporate and non-corporate – influence corporate approaches to engagement as well as outcomes. Dialogue on corporate water policy engagement will enable businesses to:
•Identify common business challenges or concerns about water
•Identify resources and activities businesses can do to address or reduce these challenges
•Identify what partnerships are needed to address or reduce these challenges
•Identify how core competencies of businesses and other stakeholders can help achieve the UN MDGs
Friday, March 12, 2010
NASA, water, LAUNCH
Best thing ever: two of my interests, water and space exploration, combine into one.
From http://www.launchorg.com/www/:
In labs, garages, companies, organizations, and charities around the world, visionary work is being done to meet the challenge of a sustainable future. LAUNCH, with support from its Founding Partner NASA, has been formed to help these innovators accelerate from where they are to where they need to be – as they strive to achieve success. LAUNCH will initiate a global search for and channel these innovations into key challenge areas that are the backbone to securing a sustainable future: water, air, food, energy, mobility, and sustainable cities.
The needs of these nascent organizations are many and varied: re-imagining their business models, accessing capital/investment or charitable donations, refining their designs and engineering, linking to a new technology partner, securing key management, scaling their operations, gaining advocacy, opening up new markets and programs . The difference between failure or stagnation and success are often small pivotal changes in approach and the ability to move quickly and confidently to secure key allies and partners.
Lots more detail throughout their website.
Featured Innovator
April Rinne
WaterCredit Initiative
http://water.org/watercredit
Many among the urban and rural poor are willing to pay for clean water and sanitation, but they have been unable to access water connections and build toilets because they simply do not have the upfront capital to make the needed investments (often ranging from just $90 – $250).
Check out Mark Sobsey's work with low cost water tests too.
From http://www.launchorg.com/www/:
In labs, garages, companies, organizations, and charities around the world, visionary work is being done to meet the challenge of a sustainable future. LAUNCH, with support from its Founding Partner NASA, has been formed to help these innovators accelerate from where they are to where they need to be – as they strive to achieve success. LAUNCH will initiate a global search for and channel these innovations into key challenge areas that are the backbone to securing a sustainable future: water, air, food, energy, mobility, and sustainable cities.
The needs of these nascent organizations are many and varied: re-imagining their business models, accessing capital/investment or charitable donations, refining their designs and engineering, linking to a new technology partner, securing key management, scaling their operations, gaining advocacy, opening up new markets and programs . The difference between failure or stagnation and success are often small pivotal changes in approach and the ability to move quickly and confidently to secure key allies and partners.
Lots more detail throughout their website.
Featured Innovator
April Rinne
WaterCredit Initiative
http://water.org/watercredit
Many among the urban and rural poor are willing to pay for clean water and sanitation, but they have been unable to access water connections and build toilets because they simply do not have the upfront capital to make the needed investments (often ranging from just $90 – $250).
Check out Mark Sobsey's work with low cost water tests too.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
CSIS / Global Water Futures / Universities and Water, Sanitation
Below is information about the next important step in the work of the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Global Water Futures program.
Universities and International Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
The mission: To strengthen the response of U.S. institutions of higher education to the global need for drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) internationally.
The CSIS Global Water Futures Project is in the initial stages of hosting a consortium of U.S. universities involved in international water, sanitation, and hygiene activities. One initial purpose of the consortium would be to promote the expansion and greater coordination of WASH activities in higher education, as well as to strengthen universities’ WASH linkages with the U.S. government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and academic institutions and governments abroad.
Many U.S. universities and colleges are already engaged in addressing global WASH concerns, or are seeking to expand WASH initiatives, in ways that include the following activities:
- Implementing practical, on-the-ground, WASH projects involving faculty and students;
- Partnering with colleges and universities in developing countries on training programs and other approaches to increase in-country capacity;
- Training the next generation of WASH professionals with an emphasis on experiential learning;
- Initiating and evaluating WASH-related technologies;
- Assisting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Department of State, including individual USAID Missions, as well as other U.S. government agencies working internationally, in researching and developing evidence-based WASH strategies and in analyzing and evaluating outcomes;
- Promoting awareness beyond public health and engineering programs of the economic, gender equity, national security, social, and environmental benefits of advancing activities to address the global WASH crisis;
- Developing public-private partnerships with corporations, civil society, foundations, and faith-based organizations.
A consortium would allow universities and colleges engaged in WASH activities abroad not only to work together in a more coordinated fashion, but also to encourage additional technological innovation, strengthen academic, philanthropic and governmental support, and increase momentum for the global WASH sector generally. A consortium would also facilitate a clearinghouse of information and best practices, which could easily be shared with counterparts outside of academia. As demands grow for effective foreign assistance in the WASH sector, U.S. college and university faculty, staff, and students can respond with technical expertise, knowledge, and personnel in host countries to achieve the goals of sustainable WASH-related development programs.
The eventual purposes of such a consortium will be determined by those choosing to participate in coming years. So start participating! Contact details:
Katryn Bowe, Project Coordinator, Global Water Futures and Research Assistant, Global Strategy Institute
(202) 775-3156
Universities and International Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
The mission: To strengthen the response of U.S. institutions of higher education to the global need for drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) internationally.
The CSIS Global Water Futures Project is in the initial stages of hosting a consortium of U.S. universities involved in international water, sanitation, and hygiene activities. One initial purpose of the consortium would be to promote the expansion and greater coordination of WASH activities in higher education, as well as to strengthen universities’ WASH linkages with the U.S. government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and academic institutions and governments abroad.
Many U.S. universities and colleges are already engaged in addressing global WASH concerns, or are seeking to expand WASH initiatives, in ways that include the following activities:
- Implementing practical, on-the-ground, WASH projects involving faculty and students;
- Partnering with colleges and universities in developing countries on training programs and other approaches to increase in-country capacity;
- Training the next generation of WASH professionals with an emphasis on experiential learning;
- Initiating and evaluating WASH-related technologies;
- Assisting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Department of State, including individual USAID Missions, as well as other U.S. government agencies working internationally, in researching and developing evidence-based WASH strategies and in analyzing and evaluating outcomes;
- Promoting awareness beyond public health and engineering programs of the economic, gender equity, national security, social, and environmental benefits of advancing activities to address the global WASH crisis;
- Developing public-private partnerships with corporations, civil society, foundations, and faith-based organizations.
A consortium would allow universities and colleges engaged in WASH activities abroad not only to work together in a more coordinated fashion, but also to encourage additional technological innovation, strengthen academic, philanthropic and governmental support, and increase momentum for the global WASH sector generally. A consortium would also facilitate a clearinghouse of information and best practices, which could easily be shared with counterparts outside of academia. As demands grow for effective foreign assistance in the WASH sector, U.S. college and university faculty, staff, and students can respond with technical expertise, knowledge, and personnel in host countries to achieve the goals of sustainable WASH-related development programs.
The eventual purposes of such a consortium will be determined by those choosing to participate in coming years. So start participating! Contact details:
Katryn Bowe, Project Coordinator, Global Water Futures and Research Assistant, Global Strategy Institute
(202) 775-3156
Global Safe Drinking Water Advocacy Day - March 23, Washington DC
Advocacy on Capitol Hill on behalf of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act (and related appropriations) continues apace. The latest opportunity to lend your voice is below:
Please join us for the World Water Day Advocacy Day in Washington, DC on March 23rd from 9:00-5:00 p.m. On this advocacy day, we are convening supporters from across the country to call on Congress to increase support for sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs and child health programs. We are conducting a morning training session in which we will be providing all the information and tools that participants will need to be effective advocates in their meetings with Congress. In the afternoon, advocacy day participants will be meeting with congressional offices to ask for support for WASH and child health issues. This advocacy day is a collaboration of several organizations that are working together to mark World Water Day in the US – including CARE, PSI, Global Water Challenge, the US Coalition for Child Survival, Water Advocates, and WaterAid.
We hope that you or others from your organization will participate in this exciting opportunity. We also encourage you to disseminate the attached flyer to your supporters to ask them to participate. Please sign up to participate in World Water Day Advocacy Day at http://www.waterday.org/ (under the sign up section of the landing page).
Feel free to send me a note if you need more details.
Please join us for the World Water Day Advocacy Day in Washington, DC on March 23rd from 9:00-5:00 p.m. On this advocacy day, we are convening supporters from across the country to call on Congress to increase support for sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs and child health programs. We are conducting a morning training session in which we will be providing all the information and tools that participants will need to be effective advocates in their meetings with Congress. In the afternoon, advocacy day participants will be meeting with congressional offices to ask for support for WASH and child health issues. This advocacy day is a collaboration of several organizations that are working together to mark World Water Day in the US – including CARE, PSI, Global Water Challenge, the US Coalition for Child Survival, Water Advocates, and WaterAid.
We hope that you or others from your organization will participate in this exciting opportunity. We also encourage you to disseminate the attached flyer to your supporters to ask them to participate. Please sign up to participate in World Water Day Advocacy Day at http://www.waterday.org/ (under the sign up section of the landing page).
Feel free to send me a note if you need more details.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Happy International Women's Day!
Great post on International Women's Day from GWC's Tanvi Nagpal:
At this very moment, millions of women are carrying 40 pounds of water on the return leg of their average 3.5-mile daily trek.
So today, on International Women's Day, I want to pay tribute to the resiliency of these women, and highlight the collective possibility they embody -- if freed from the back-breaking and time-consuming burden of collecting water.
Clean water programs supported by GWC member organizations are helping women, like Nakwetikya in Tanzania, regain their sense of self-worth. Once Nakwetikya joined the committee overseeing the local well supported by GWC member WaterAid, she noticed a drastic shift in attitude toward women:
"Before we formed a [water] committee and prepared ourselves as a community, men just saw women as animals. I think they thought of us as bats flapping around them. They had no respect for us and no one would allow you to speak or listen to what you had to say. When I stand up now in a group I am not an animal. I am a woman with a valid opinion."
Read more success stories like Nakwetikya's and learn about the impact of water and sanitation programs on women in developing countries.
Providing women with access to a nearby source of clean water frees up their days to earn an income -- which can help significantly elevate their status in the community. And when women are employed, they are more likely to spend their money on medical care and education for their children, thus opening up new opportunities for even more people.
You can help bring clean water to women around the world by participating in the Dow Live Earth Run for Water on April 18th. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water is a series of six-kilometer run/walks with concerts afterwards in cities around the world over the course of 24 hours. GWC will receive funds raised in the United States and invest these funds so that women and girls can have a better shot at fulfilling their potential.
Register to run now in the Dow Live Earth Run for Water. I hope you are able to participate in what will be the largest event ever to raise awareness and funds about the critical issue of clean water.
Thanks for your support,
Tanvi Nagpal
Director of Water and Sanitation Initiatives
Global Water Challenge
http://www.globalwaterchallenge.org/
At this very moment, millions of women are carrying 40 pounds of water on the return leg of their average 3.5-mile daily trek.
So today, on International Women's Day, I want to pay tribute to the resiliency of these women, and highlight the collective possibility they embody -- if freed from the back-breaking and time-consuming burden of collecting water.
Clean water programs supported by GWC member organizations are helping women, like Nakwetikya in Tanzania, regain their sense of self-worth. Once Nakwetikya joined the committee overseeing the local well supported by GWC member WaterAid, she noticed a drastic shift in attitude toward women:
"Before we formed a [water] committee and prepared ourselves as a community, men just saw women as animals. I think they thought of us as bats flapping around them. They had no respect for us and no one would allow you to speak or listen to what you had to say. When I stand up now in a group I am not an animal. I am a woman with a valid opinion."
Read more success stories like Nakwetikya's and learn about the impact of water and sanitation programs on women in developing countries.
Providing women with access to a nearby source of clean water frees up their days to earn an income -- which can help significantly elevate their status in the community. And when women are employed, they are more likely to spend their money on medical care and education for their children, thus opening up new opportunities for even more people.
You can help bring clean water to women around the world by participating in the Dow Live Earth Run for Water on April 18th. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water is a series of six-kilometer run/walks with concerts afterwards in cities around the world over the course of 24 hours. GWC will receive funds raised in the United States and invest these funds so that women and girls can have a better shot at fulfilling their potential.
Register to run now in the Dow Live Earth Run for Water. I hope you are able to participate in what will be the largest event ever to raise awareness and funds about the critical issue of clean water.
Thanks for your support,
Tanvi Nagpal
Director of Water and Sanitation Initiatives
Global Water Challenge
http://www.globalwaterchallenge.org/
Saturday, March 6, 2010
World Water Day Writing Contest
World Water Day Writing Contest
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is partnering with Helium to get your voice heard on the most pressing issues of the day. We want to know your thoughts on questions raised by Pulitzer Center-sponsored reporting projects around the globe – and the winning essays will be showcased on the Pulitzer Center’s website and on Helium. Winning writers will also receive a Pulitzer Center Citizen Journalist Award.
Check out the links on the left and right columns of this page, pointing to Pulitzer Center reporting resources, upcoming events and some of the organizations that have taken the lead on water issues around the world. When selecting the winner from the top 10 ranked entries on Helium, the Pulitzer Center especially values vivid, well-articulated essays that reflect unusual insight, a clear point of view and, where appropriate, original reporting. Anything fictionalized or not based on the writer’s own observations should be clearly marked as such in the body of the text.
The deadline for the World Water Day Writing Contest is Wednesday March 31. The Pulitzer Center Citizen Journalist Award in this contest will be announced on Friday April 9.
ALSO and again, check out http://www.waterday.org/.
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is partnering with Helium to get your voice heard on the most pressing issues of the day. We want to know your thoughts on questions raised by Pulitzer Center-sponsored reporting projects around the globe – and the winning essays will be showcased on the Pulitzer Center’s website and on Helium. Winning writers will also receive a Pulitzer Center Citizen Journalist Award.
Check out the links on the left and right columns of this page, pointing to Pulitzer Center reporting resources, upcoming events and some of the organizations that have taken the lead on water issues around the world. When selecting the winner from the top 10 ranked entries on Helium, the Pulitzer Center especially values vivid, well-articulated essays that reflect unusual insight, a clear point of view and, where appropriate, original reporting. Anything fictionalized or not based on the writer’s own observations should be clearly marked as such in the body of the text.
The deadline for the World Water Day Writing Contest is Wednesday March 31. The Pulitzer Center Citizen Journalist Award in this contest will be announced on Friday April 9.
ALSO and again, check out http://www.waterday.org/.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
World Water Day: March 22, 2010
The first of many posts regarding World Water Day 2010:
A diverse coalition of water, sanitation, hygiene and health organizations has come together for World Water Day 2010 to raise awareness and call for stronger commitments and more robust action to ensure universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation everywhere they are needed. Because the global water crisis can be solved with solutions available today. The 2010 coalition includes Action Against Hunger, AED, Africare, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, charity: water, P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, Global Water Challenge, H2O for Life, InterAction, Millennium Water Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, ONE, PATH, PSI, U.S. Coalition for Child Survival, Water.org, Water Advocates, WaterAid, Water and Sanitation Program, Water For People, and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.
Please visit http://www.waterday.org/ and get involved...
A diverse coalition of water, sanitation, hygiene and health organizations has come together for World Water Day 2010 to raise awareness and call for stronger commitments and more robust action to ensure universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation everywhere they are needed. Because the global water crisis can be solved with solutions available today. The 2010 coalition includes Action Against Hunger, AED, Africare, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, charity: water, P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, Global Water Challenge, H2O for Life, InterAction, Millennium Water Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, ONE, PATH, PSI, U.S. Coalition for Child Survival, Water.org, Water Advocates, WaterAid, Water and Sanitation Program, Water For People, and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.
Please visit http://www.waterday.org/ and get involved...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Reminder - March 3: Capitol Hill Briefing on a New Water & Universities Initiative
Reminder: Capitol Hill Briefing on a New Water & Universities Initiative
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m
Room SVC 203/202
U.S. Capitol Visitors Center
E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE
Washington, DC
Join the CSIS Global Water Futures Project, Water Advocates, and prominent university and college leaders working on international water, sanitation, and hygiene (“WASH”) issues for a congressional briefing on a new University-WASH initiative. Presentations will feature the variety of ways in which U.S. colleges and universities are already addressing the global WASH crisis and will highlight how their role can be enhanced, especially through a new informal collaboration among U.S. institutions of higher education. The presentations and briefing are open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, and interested members of the public.
PLEASE ALLOW 20-30 MINUTES TO PASS THROUGH SECURITY.
If you have not already, please RSVP by 2:00pm today to universities.wash.rsvp@gmail.com.
Please direct all questions to Katryn Bowe at kbowe (at) csis.org or (202) 775-3156.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m
Room SVC 203/202
U.S. Capitol Visitors Center
E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE
Washington, DC
Join the CSIS Global Water Futures Project, Water Advocates, and prominent university and college leaders working on international water, sanitation, and hygiene (“WASH”) issues for a congressional briefing on a new University-WASH initiative. Presentations will feature the variety of ways in which U.S. colleges and universities are already addressing the global WASH crisis and will highlight how their role can be enhanced, especially through a new informal collaboration among U.S. institutions of higher education. The presentations and briefing are open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, and interested members of the public.
PLEASE ALLOW 20-30 MINUTES TO PASS THROUGH SECURITY.
If you have not already, please RSVP by 2:00pm today to universities.wash.rsvp@gmail.com.
Please direct all questions to Katryn Bowe at kbowe (at) csis.org or (202) 775-3156.
Millennium Water Alliance is hiring - please broadcast
The Millennium Water Alliance, an interesting consortium in the water and sanitation sector, is hiring in its Washington DC office. Read more about their programs in Africa and Central America here, and consider who might be best for this position:
Head of Advocacy and Communication
The Millennium Water Alliance, MWA, is a permanent coalition of international NGOs with experience in rural and peri-urban water supply, hygiene education and promotion of sanitation. Our vision is that everyone has access to safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene practices. Our collective focus is to achieve the following goals by 2012:
• Increase awareness and resources for sustainable WASH interventions
• Build strong permanent partnership models to enhance our impact
• Elevate global visibility in WASH sector
• Expand capacity, improve quality and efficiency at all levels; improve effectiveness of operations through learning
In the world’s poorest countries, over 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and approximately 2.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. More than 3 million people, mostly children, die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses. These sobering facts inspired a group of sector experts to form the MWA in 2002 as a 501(c) 3 organization. Full members of the MWA include: CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Food for the Hungry, Lifewater International, Living Water International, Water for People, Water.org, and World Vision International. In addition MWA has five affiliate members: Africare, Emmanuel International, Global Water, Water Missions International, and Eagle of Hope.
Position Summary
Under the direction of the President and in coordination with relevant colleagues throughout MWA the Head of Advocacy and Communication (a new position) will i) provide strategic direction in planning, implementing through appropriate networking and evaluating MWA’s advocacy and campaigning in the USA. Will ii) support local staff in MWA countries of operation in their advocacy efforts, this will include analysis and linkages of US policy efficacy in country. It will also include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. S/he will iii) use evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public. In addition s/he will be responsible for developing and managing the overall communications program, designing messaging and tailoring the MWA documentation for different audiences. S /he will also play a role in representing MWA’s work and public policy positions to external audiences; in providing documentation, developing talking points and presentations for MWA representation at high level functions; and in adapting and disseminating these messages for various written and online communications, media, and fundraising purposes.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Advocacy - 60%
• In coordination with the President and MWA Board, identify key issues and themes to guide MWA’s advocacy and policy analysis in order to further MWA’s advocacy agenda both in the US context and in the countries of programming
• Undertake research and analysis on key policy issues; track developments in the US policy environment to support this, including ongoing assessment of Congressional actions, actions by the Administration, and related legislative and implementation processes designed to achieve USAID reform, particularly in relation to US water policies
• Work with the Head of the in-country Secretariat and the President to develop advocacy positions on key issues relating to MWA’s program activities in Central America and Africa and other areas of implementation as they are established
• Work with and support country programs and local staff as appropriate in building advocacy relationships and contribute to country programs’ understanding of U.S. policies and processes. This will include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. Using evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public.
• Support local staff in the development of advocacy strategies in targeted countries
• Write and produce advocacy outputs, such as reports, briefings, fact sheets and position papers
• Build effective relations with relevant US stakeholders, such as NGOs, think tanks, educational and research organizations
• Serve as a principal point of contact between MWA and other US advocates for water and sanitation, including the private sector, other NGOs, and the US government
Communications – 30%
• Work closely with web-developers of maintain and update MWA website
• Structure MWA’s communications program and documentation of MWA work. This will include tailoring the MWA messages for appropriate audiences.
• Work closely with the Head of the Secretariat to collect, consolidate, develop and disseminate success stories, human interest stories and lessons learned from MWA programming. This will include collaborating with MWA colleagues to identify, pitch and place story ideas.
• Proactively develop and maintain positive relationships with targeted local, regional and national news media via regular communications, press releases and other materials to increase U.S. awareness of the water and sanitation issue and to position MWA as a resource for the media.
• Provide advice and assistance to MWA colleagues and Board members in the development and implementation of key messages and communications strategies.
• Analyze and evaluate the outcomes of the communications program and develop strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of media interactions as required.
General
• Represent MWA’s interests in selected national and international forums, as requested
• Commission and supervise research undertaken by consultants and interns
• Undertake other duties as assigned
Qualifications and demonstrated abilities
• Commitment to MWA’s vision, values and approach
• Masters degree [or equivalent qualification] in one of the following areas: water, sanitation, hygiene education, community development, economics, social sciences or other relevant areas
• Experience in advocacy work in the field of international development required
• Previous experience with water, sanitation and hygiene preferred. At the minimum experience in the international development field, including global health and/or environmental issues
• A strong working knowledge of US political, legislative, and NGO culture, institutions, and processes and the capacity, maturity and poise to represent WAA with high-level constituencies
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent writing ability
• Media handling and public speaking skills
• Spanish desirable but not required
• Ability to develop, implement and create status reports.
• Proven ability to write and communicate effectively in ways appropriate for targeted audiences (local, regional and national media, potential advocacy partners, potential funders, etc.)
• Proven ability to think creatively and develop innovative outreach vehicles designed to increase awareness and visibility of the issue
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, multi-task, set priorities, and meet deadlines
• Ability and desire to work in a small organization with a consensus-oriented environment with different work styles.
• Ability and desire to supervise, train, support and motivate volunteers and interns if needed.
• Self-starter, high-energy, creative, and ability to be effective in a constantly changing environment.
Writing samples will be required.
This is a full-time permanent position located in Washington, DC. Salary range is commensurate with experience. Some international travel will be required.
MWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action employer that is committed to diversity in the workplace.
Please send résumé and cover letter to: hr@mwawater.org
Head of Advocacy and Communication
The Millennium Water Alliance, MWA, is a permanent coalition of international NGOs with experience in rural and peri-urban water supply, hygiene education and promotion of sanitation. Our vision is that everyone has access to safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene practices. Our collective focus is to achieve the following goals by 2012:
• Increase awareness and resources for sustainable WASH interventions
• Build strong permanent partnership models to enhance our impact
• Elevate global visibility in WASH sector
• Expand capacity, improve quality and efficiency at all levels; improve effectiveness of operations through learning
In the world’s poorest countries, over 800 million people lack access to safe drinking water, and approximately 2.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. More than 3 million people, mostly children, die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses. These sobering facts inspired a group of sector experts to form the MWA in 2002 as a 501(c) 3 organization. Full members of the MWA include: CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Food for the Hungry, Lifewater International, Living Water International, Water for People, Water.org, and World Vision International. In addition MWA has five affiliate members: Africare, Emmanuel International, Global Water, Water Missions International, and Eagle of Hope.
Position Summary
Under the direction of the President and in coordination with relevant colleagues throughout MWA the Head of Advocacy and Communication (a new position) will i) provide strategic direction in planning, implementing through appropriate networking and evaluating MWA’s advocacy and campaigning in the USA. Will ii) support local staff in MWA countries of operation in their advocacy efforts, this will include analysis and linkages of US policy efficacy in country. It will also include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. S/he will iii) use evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public. In addition s/he will be responsible for developing and managing the overall communications program, designing messaging and tailoring the MWA documentation for different audiences. S /he will also play a role in representing MWA’s work and public policy positions to external audiences; in providing documentation, developing talking points and presentations for MWA representation at high level functions; and in adapting and disseminating these messages for various written and online communications, media, and fundraising purposes.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Advocacy - 60%
• In coordination with the President and MWA Board, identify key issues and themes to guide MWA’s advocacy and policy analysis in order to further MWA’s advocacy agenda both in the US context and in the countries of programming
• Undertake research and analysis on key policy issues; track developments in the US policy environment to support this, including ongoing assessment of Congressional actions, actions by the Administration, and related legislative and implementation processes designed to achieve USAID reform, particularly in relation to US water policies
• Work with the Head of the in-country Secretariat and the President to develop advocacy positions on key issues relating to MWA’s program activities in Central America and Africa and other areas of implementation as they are established
• Work with and support country programs and local staff as appropriate in building advocacy relationships and contribute to country programs’ understanding of U.S. policies and processes. This will include advocacy training and policy analysis as needed. Using evidence gathered in the field to design appropriate messages and position papers to influence policy, inform major stake holders and/or general public.
• Support local staff in the development of advocacy strategies in targeted countries
• Write and produce advocacy outputs, such as reports, briefings, fact sheets and position papers
• Build effective relations with relevant US stakeholders, such as NGOs, think tanks, educational and research organizations
• Serve as a principal point of contact between MWA and other US advocates for water and sanitation, including the private sector, other NGOs, and the US government
Communications – 30%
• Work closely with web-developers of maintain and update MWA website
• Structure MWA’s communications program and documentation of MWA work. This will include tailoring the MWA messages for appropriate audiences.
• Work closely with the Head of the Secretariat to collect, consolidate, develop and disseminate success stories, human interest stories and lessons learned from MWA programming. This will include collaborating with MWA colleagues to identify, pitch and place story ideas.
• Proactively develop and maintain positive relationships with targeted local, regional and national news media via regular communications, press releases and other materials to increase U.S. awareness of the water and sanitation issue and to position MWA as a resource for the media.
• Provide advice and assistance to MWA colleagues and Board members in the development and implementation of key messages and communications strategies.
• Analyze and evaluate the outcomes of the communications program and develop strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of media interactions as required.
General
• Represent MWA’s interests in selected national and international forums, as requested
• Commission and supervise research undertaken by consultants and interns
• Undertake other duties as assigned
Qualifications and demonstrated abilities
• Commitment to MWA’s vision, values and approach
• Masters degree [or equivalent qualification] in one of the following areas: water, sanitation, hygiene education, community development, economics, social sciences or other relevant areas
• Experience in advocacy work in the field of international development required
• Previous experience with water, sanitation and hygiene preferred. At the minimum experience in the international development field, including global health and/or environmental issues
• A strong working knowledge of US political, legislative, and NGO culture, institutions, and processes and the capacity, maturity and poise to represent WAA with high-level constituencies
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent writing ability
• Media handling and public speaking skills
• Spanish desirable but not required
• Ability to develop, implement and create status reports.
• Proven ability to write and communicate effectively in ways appropriate for targeted audiences (local, regional and national media, potential advocacy partners, potential funders, etc.)
• Proven ability to think creatively and develop innovative outreach vehicles designed to increase awareness and visibility of the issue
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, multi-task, set priorities, and meet deadlines
• Ability and desire to work in a small organization with a consensus-oriented environment with different work styles.
• Ability and desire to supervise, train, support and motivate volunteers and interns if needed.
• Self-starter, high-energy, creative, and ability to be effective in a constantly changing environment.
Writing samples will be required.
This is a full-time permanent position located in Washington, DC. Salary range is commensurate with experience. Some international travel will be required.
MWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action employer that is committed to diversity in the workplace.
Please send résumé and cover letter to: hr@mwawater.org
Monday, March 1, 2010
WASH for Lent
For those of you who are interested in what various faith-based groups are doing and can do for global safe drinking water and sanitation during Lent (and beyond), here is a resource that will help with prayer, study, and ACTION:
WASH for Lent
More about the site here.
Among other things, the site includes a partial list of faith-based groups working in the sector here.
If you have questions/suggestions, please join their blog, post your updates, and contact the authors of the site.
WASH for Lent
More about the site here.
Among other things, the site includes a partial list of faith-based groups working in the sector here.
If you have questions/suggestions, please join their blog, post your updates, and contact the authors of the site.
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