World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance day that is held today (March 22) and it highlights the importance of fresh water supply.
The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
This year’s theme on World Water Day 2023 is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis we face the world over.
Dysfunction throughout the water cycle undermines progress on all major global issues, from health to hunger, gender equality to jobs, education to industry, and disasters to peace.
Website www.un.org reports that in 2015, the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six as part of the 2030 Agenda – the promise that everyone would have safely managed water and sanitation by 2030.
Billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centers, farms, and factories are being held back because their human rights to water and sanitation still need to be fulfilled.
There is an urgent need to accelerate change – to go beyond ‘business as usual.’
The 2023 United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) shows how building partnerships and enhancing cooperation across all dimensions of sustainable development are essential to accelerate progress towards water goals and targets, and human rights to water and sanitation.
Partnerships and cooperation take place in almost any water-related endeavor.
There is a long history of partnerships in water resources management, with both good and bad experiences.
This report reviews these experiences, and highlights how enhancing positive and meaningful cooperation amongst the water, sanitation and broader ‘development’ communities is required to accelerate progress.
Prior to this year’s theme, and because water affects us all, we need everyone to take action.
It starts with you.
You and your family, school and community can make a difference by changing the way you use, consume and manage water in your lives.
Your commitments will be added to the Water Action Agenda, to be launched at the UN 2023 Water Conference – the first event of its kind for nearly 50 years.
This is a once-in-a-generation moment for the world to unite around water.
Play your part and do what you can.
