End Water Poverty

Will you make a stand for sanitation and water next year?

noreply@blogger.com (Serena O'Sullivan) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Serena O'Sullivan
End Water Poverty

Exciting times! End Water Poverty is getting ready to launch ‘The World’s Longest Toilet Queue’- a mass global event on World Water Day next year (22 March 2010) that will call for action on water and sanitation from the world’s politicians. It’s a massive Guinness World Record attempt and needs you to get involved and make it a success.

The timing of the event is crucial – just one month after our mass global action, politicians will gather in Washington DC to discuss what they’re going to do to tackle the crisis claiming 4000 children’s lives every day. And it’s up to us to make sure they know that the world expects action.

So we’re challenging people, groups, organisations – in fact everyone – to organise groups of at least 25 people to queue at a toilet (real, fake – even someone dressed up as one!) on World Water Day. It’s up to you what happens in your Queue – perhaps you’ll do it in the style of a flash mob, or you’ll gather a petition from participants, or you’ll ask your local Parliamentarian or even leader to attend and listen to the demands of your Queue.

Get loads of ideas on the special World’s Longest Toilet Queue microsite – soon to be fully launched – including press templates, case studies, a toolkit, and posters. You'll be able to join an online Queue there too - and share this with your supporters, friends and contacts. Read ideas from other advocates and get involved by commenting, suggesting and sharing ideas. Already got ideas? Post them up here, right now!

This is truly anyone’s event to own – and we’re really excited to share it with you. Let’s make a stand together and make sure those politicians hear our voices loud and clear.

Putting the poor first in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:07:00 +0000

2010 is set to be a pivotal year in fight against poverty and climate change. And Canada, as hosts of both the G8 and G20, are set to be at the centre. And so I've spent the week in Ottawa with campaigners from all around the world planning the corresponding strategy for civil society action.

2010 is not only the year when Africa hosts the World Cup for the first time, it's also when the landmark 2005 G8 commitments to the continent - such as providing $ 50bn of additional aid - can truly be judged. And it will be done with a backdrop of crisis that is creating a real shift in global power.

The rising cost of food has pushed the number of hungry back above 1 billion, the financial crisis and recession has plunged millions into poverty, and a deal to protect the world's climate seems stuck in committee. These crises were caused by rich countries, yet most of their victims count amongst the poor.

In 2010 the answer to the question "Who rules?" will change - the global economy is seeing a radical shift. The G8 will be eclipsed by a new grouping - the G20 - which includes emerging power houses like China, Brazil and India.

So more voices from countries where many of the poor live, yet ultimately still a system where the poorest countries do not have a seat at the table to demand their rights or steer the global economy to meet their needs. And the G20 may prove to be as self-serving as the G8.

But we do know that, as power shifts, a time has appeared to bring the voices of the poor to the fore, and to make sure that their human rights - such as accessing clean water and safe sanitation - are on the table and at the heart of global debate.

For us, obviously there are huge opportunities in 2010 to push up the water and sanitation agenda - not least the global campaign to form the World's Longest Toilet Queue (20-22 March) and to influence the High-Level Meeting on Water and Sanitation (22 April) - but also a need to work together to push on all issues relating to global poverty.

Global campaign plans are crystallising and emerging soon, so more on that to come, but its worth noting that just a few weeks ago 173 million people stood up around the world to call for an end to poverty.

That's the biggest mass movement the world has ever seen, so using it to get food, water and a seat at the table for the world's poor should be well within our grasp.

The Voice of Africa, from the Kingdom in the Sky

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:30:00 +0000

I’m on my way back from an inspiring trip to Lesotho – ‘the Kingdom in the Sky’- where I attended the General Assembly of the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW), who are proud partners of the End Water Poverty campaign.

Representatives from over 40 countries across Africa took part in three days of learning and planning (and an evening of inter-region ‘dance-offs’), as this dynamic and truly Pan-African network makes strides in bringing grassroots voices from across the continent to the region’s leaders.

Logistically remarkable in itself that such a diverse crowd was gathered in a tiny mountain kingdom, and yet more impressive is the progress that has been made in so many places in opening doors and holding Governments to account on water and sanitation.

In just a few years ANEW has established relationships with, successfully lobbied and secured declarations from continental institutions such as the African Union to AMCOW (African Ministers’ Council on Water).

Yet big challenges remain – too many networks are squeezed by their governments, who may fear the contestation advocacy may bring, and too many great minds and organisations are prevented from achieving all they could due to a lack of human or financial resources.

Much to do, but a real confidence that there are civil society voices in Africa willing to make sure it gets done. And if it can be done with the vigour and style of those dance-offs, I pity those who take them on.

Expert recommends recognition of sanitation as a human right

noreply@blogger.com (Serena O'Sullivan) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:03:00 +0000

Some great news from the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva just recently, with a statement from Catarina de Albuquerque (left), the Independent Expert on human rights obligations related to water and sanitation.

In her post for under a year, she was reporting to the Council on her findings from trips to Costa Rica and Egypt. She declared that she is 'convinced, now more than ever, that sanitation is a matter of human rights ...we are in the midst of a sanitation crisis.'

This statement is a historic recommendation that sanitation be recognised as a distinct human right. Groups such as End Water Poverty and the Freshwater Action Network have been pushing for the UN to recognise sanitation as a human right - after the successful push to recognise the Right to Water in 2002. Let's keep pushing these issues up the political agenda and achieve real change together.

Read her statement in full here. (thanks to Kolleen from the Freshwater Action Network for providing this).

Read WaterAid's paper 'Sanitation: A human rights imperative'

Reflections on World Water Week

noreply@blogger.com (Serena O'Sullivan) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:42:00 +0000

Mid August saw water and sanitation experts from around the world gather in Stockholm for World Water Week. It was both fascinating and exhausting taking part, as you may know from following our tweets. And it was great to see sanitation climb in profile, with Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of the Sulabh Sanitation Movement in India, being named the 2009 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate.

Amidst all the formal discussions on transboundary waters and climate change, there were an array of key meetings with governments, organisations and institutions working to realise End Water Poverty's call to establish a Global Framework for Action on Water and Sanitation.

While working on these meetings with colleagues from Liberia, Kenya and Asia, a few things became really clear to me:

We've come really far as a campaign. At the same conference last year, we were struggling to get any government to back our demands; and now there is a real momentum of support, with more institutions, governments and organisations championing us each day.
End Water Poverty is benefiting from a wide spectrum of support from organisations across the Global South, allowing us to show a truly global perspective on the issues.
There is still much to do. Some governments remain ambivalent and need pressure, and we must make sure our work delivers tangible and ambitious results for the world's poor.

In April 2010, political leaders from across the world will meet in Washington, USA to discuss water and sanitation at the first ever High-Level Meeting on the issues.

And what's the difference we're hoping for between Stockholm and Washington? One word: action. The High-Level Meeting is the opportunity for the world to act on water and sanitation, and it seems to me that mass mobilisation and campaigning in the next few months could ensure real change is achieved for those denied their rights to toilets and clean water.

G8: Time to save others to save yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:13:00 +0000

The circus is over and the clowns have returned home. A few days reflection (largely spent sleeping) on the G8 summit, and how does it look? What does it mean for our campaigning efforts, and for the G8 itself?

Well, the outcome still looks the same, and a little too true to form. Even where progress was supposed to have been made, for example in climate change and tackling hunger, it is so obscured by smoke and mirrors that noone knows whether it is genuine.

On other areas, like water and sanitation, even the G8 struggled to say they had done much. I even read officials being quoted as saying it was a major step forward that such a “controversial” issue was being discussed at the G8 at all.

The lack of such basic things as taps and toilets cause 30% of all child deaths, so seems to me to be about as controversial as breathing.

Was it all doom and gloom? Well there were a few personal highlights outside the formal business. Berlusconi’s interview with Bob Geldof was simply extraordinary and well worth a read. Obama’s alleged faux pas at the Junior 8 caused a real stir (only later shown to be a camera trick). End Water Poverty rep Khumbuzile’s cornering of South African President Jacob Zuma showed us how brlliant lobbying is done. And the best campaign slogan around – ‘Yes, we camp’, used by the homeless of L’Aquila to highlight their plight following April’s tragic earthquake.

And in the formal business, perhaps if we are extremely generous we can see something. The political declaration to make progress on a partnership with African governments by November 2009 might provide a window of opportunity for something more concrete. Of course, this is flawed, watered down and vacuous in so many ways already discussed. But it is a renewed mandate that we could try and exploit to finally, maybe get somewhere.

What does it mean for our campaigning? It means we keep going. Change takes time – far too much time, of course – but in 2 years we have seen our issue rise from nowhere on the international agenda, to one of much greater prominence, even if that is yet to translate into firm action as yet.

Having expectations frustrated is the first step to having them realised – we are in a process of building a mandate for change and this G8 was only one small point on the way. We are right to be annoyed, but not to shrug our shoulders and give up. We’ve made a good deal of progress, especially in countries outside of the G8 and also with some of the G8’s more progressive members.

What is obvious is that we have to keep showing how failure to act on water and sanitation is undermining the broader fight against poverty, ill-health and malnutrition – areas where political will appears higher, but which cannot progress without taking a more comprehensive approach that includes taps and toilets. No good saving a child of malaria if they are going to die of diahrroea.

We have two clear opportunities to work towards. November sees Africa Water Week, when the G8 promise to announce progress on their partnership, as well as where countries and institutions involved with the Global Framework for Action – an initiative strongly championed by End Water Poverty – meet. We need these to come together and get working for real.

And then April 2010 is when UNICEF are convening political leaders for a global high-level meeting on water and sanitation as part of the Global Framework initiative mentioned above. This is aimed at bringing real political focus on this issue for once, as opposed to having it only featured on the agenda as ‘Any Other Business’. So the next 9 months leading up to then is key to ensuring it actually does something.

And what next for the G8 itself? The world’s poor are undoubtedly the biggest losers from this G8 summit, but I think the G8 should have cause for concern too.

In a fast-changing world with challenges that go well beyond the reach of just 8 countries, their role is questioned as never before, with groupings like the G20 in the ascendancy. And they are not doing themselves any favours.

By failing to act in a way that shows any solidarity, honesty or effectiveness – and by failing to deliver on its promises to the poor – the G8 are undermining their own claims to global leadership. Perhaps a conclusion worth considering is that in order to save themselves, they need first to keep their word to save others.

In one end, out the other

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:09:00 +0000

That’s it. Over. Finito. Another year, another G8, another farce.

As you can see from the press releases of other NGOs, noone was too happy about it.

And nor were we, as you can see from our press release today. The joint G8-Africa statement contained nothing new, nothing concrete, nothing of worth to a community lacking access to clean water or sanitation. Nothing that could be possibly described as the “enhanced implementation plan” promised at last year’s summit.

Nothing to tackle a crisis that is responsible for 30% of child deaths.

I don’t know how they could have sat through those meetings with African leaders and not feel embarrassed and ashamed.

I never understand how you can so much power and never bother to use it for good.

The big news today was a pledge of $20bn to fight hunger for the 1 billion people without enough to eat. Hugely important, but as with every G8 deal noone knows where the money is going to come from, or if it really will. Let’s hope this time it is different.

Either way, fighting hunger – as crucial as this is – without also providing clean water and sanitation is akin to a fish riding a bicycle (I wasn’t allowed to put this in the press release so I am putting it here...). Its not going to go as far as you'd like when 50% of child deaths from malnutrition are caused by diahrroea.

More thoughtful analysis soon as I'm too knackered not to be a grumpy old man.

But one quick upbeat note for now - our spokesperson from South Africa, Khumbuzile Zuma, has done a great job highlighting our disappointment to the press.

Interviews with Italian newspapers, BBC, Sky, Reuters, Voice of America, Nile TV and others, as well as being a GCAP spokesperson, all helped to shape the media reaction to the summit. I have not met a journalist yet who is impressed with the outcomes.

And not only that, she did the best bit of lobbying I’ve seen in a while by hijacking President’s press conference (Jacob Zuma, no relation…). After demanding South African leader step up to the plate, and do more on water and sanitation, she got a commitment to do so, a follow up meeting, and even a hug…

See a couple of photos and video here

Great work, and many thanks to the Mvula Trust for her participation.

Surge in aid to Iraq masks weak G8 action on water and sanitation

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Increased aid for water and sanitation driven by politics not need

Following a G8 statement released late last night, End Water Poverty reveals that reported increases in aid for water and sanitation since 2002 have been dominated by reconstruction efforts in Iraq, and other regions of political and economic interest, rather than to reaching poor communities across Africa and South Asia.

The surge in funding to Iraq has masked the fact that the G8 have failed to make sufficient investments in water and sanitation services, failing to tackle a crisis that kills 4,000 children every day.

Oliver Cumming, from WaterAid, member of the End Water Poverty campaign, said:

“It is Iraq, not Africa, that has received the bulk of increased funding for water and sanitation - something that is cold comfort for the poorest people in the world who are still waiting for significant action by the G8. The scandalous result of the G8’s priorities is the continuation of a crisis that kills 4,000 children every day. “

Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions of most critical need, together receive just 30% of G8 funding for water - significantly less than in 2003 when the G8 launched its Water Action Plan for Africa at the Evian Summit.

According to OECD, in 2005 and 2006 more aid went to Iraq for water and sanitation than for the whole of sub-Saharan Africa whilst Malaysia – where 99% of people have access to clean water - receives 26 times more per head than Congo, Angola or Togo.

Water and sanitation was meant to be a centrepiece of this year’s summit, but yesterday’s communiqué failed to deliver a concrete deal. Tomorrow, G8 leaders are to sign a joint declaration with the African Union outlining a partnership to further implement the Evian Plan. Despite promises, however, few tangible commitments are expected.

Khumbuzile Zuma, South African spokesperson for End Water Poverty said:

“Action to provide water and sanitation in Africa is long overdue, but as the figures behind this report show, we cannot trust that words will be enough. In 2003 we were promised action to deliver these most basic services in Africa, but we are still waiting while the destination of extra money is driven by politics and not need.

So far, all we have seen at this summit are delays and broken promises. Tomorrow, leaders from both Africa and the G8 simply must deliver decisive action. Otherwise it will mean nothing to those who have lost children, or who have been denied an education, because they cannot drink clean water or use a safe toilet.”

ENDS

Oliver Cumming and Khumbuzile Zuma are both at the G8 Summit and available for interview. For all media requests contact Chloe Irvine +44 75 1494 1577 OR +44 777 1654 544 OR Steve Cockburn +44 79 2008 0855 (all based in L’Aquila)

Could food poisoning spark the Road to Damascus?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:03:00 +0000

As the G8 leaders tucked in to their stately dinner and discussed action on Iran, Burma, piracy and other delights we in the media centre tucked into our cold pasta and stale bread to have a good old moan about Berlusconi and chums.

Given the chequered history of the G8, and the apparent reluctance of richer countries to stand in solidarity with poorer ones as the global recession hits, yesterday’s announcements generally came as no great surprise. Once again the G8 flattered to deceive, and failed to provide the sort of emergency response poorer countries need to get through an economic crisis not of their making. Nor, as you see from our press release in our previous blog, did they maintain their promise to deliver an "enhanced implementation plan" to drive progress in achieving water and sanitation for all. All they could do was give themselves another 6 months to think about it.

That is not to say a political commitment to work in partnership with African Governments is not important. It is. But this was essentially what happened last year – this year was supposed to be about action and about delivery for communities who need to drink clean water, not vague promises.

A further statement – made jointly with African leaders – is due tomorrow, to outline their common desire for a partnership. We shall see if further tangible commitments are given in this statement, and plead for a sudden bout of sense.

What could cause that sudden flash of inspiration, what could be that Road to Damascus moment that convinces the 8 most powerful people in the world that it was time to act for the 2.5 billion people who have no access to a safe toilet and the 900m people without clean water?

Popular support, media focus, peer pressure, and a suddent emergence of conscience would all surely help. Or a nasty bout of diahhroea perhaps, especially if coupled with having to use the not-so-sanitary portaloos on offer to media and NGOs. Though I imagine they have nicer ones. Oh, and the water was cut off yesterday too. Though I imagine they have nice bottles of Evian to see them through…

G8 on poverty and water: No big deal

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Watered down promises and moving targets, poor to count cost of G8 failure

Global campaign group End Water Poverty slammed the G8 failure to stand by poor communities in hard times as they released their official summit communiqué.

Among a host of failures at the Summit, the G8 have broken last year’s promise to finally tackle the global water and sanitation crisis. Since the G8 last met in Hokkaido, over 1.4 million children have died from diarrhoea as a result of a lack safe water and toilets - a scandalous human cost that is set to continue after today’s neglect and inaction.

Khumbuzile Zuma, a South African spokesperson for End Water Poverty said,
"This year's G8 has confirmed many people's worst fears that so many of the world's richest countries are prepared to run away from their commitments to the poor, such as those on aid and safe drinking water, at exactly the time they are needed most.”

“This year they had finally promised to tackle the global water and sanitation crisis that is responsible for almost 30% of all child deaths, but in reality nothing has been done that will make a difference to the lives of people in Africa. The best they could do was give themselves another six months to think about it.”

“How long must Africa wait for the right to use a safe toilet and drink clean water? Without addressing this we will never make the progress needed on ending hunger, reducing child deaths or getting children into school."

An “enhanced implementation plan” to deliver water and sanitation in Africa was meant to be a centerpiece of this week’s Summit, but instead the G8 merely announced they would aim to “make progress” on a partnership with African governments by the end of the year. Draft documents in the run up to the summit show just how much ambition has been watered down, and the final proposal contains no specific actions or commitments.

Oliver Cumming from WaterAid, a key supporter of End Water Poverty said:

“It is shocking that the deaths of 1.4 million children do not warrant immediate action from the G8. But it is truly scandalous that in the year they committed to address the water and sanitation crisis they have abandoned people in poor countries to continued indignity, poverty and ill-health.”

Paul Cook from Tearfund a key supporter of End Water Poverty added

“How many of these leaders would have been happy to come here if there were no toilet facilities or drinking water?”

End Water Poverty also warned leaders that their neglect of water and sanitation would have serious consequences for any other development initiatives announced at the summit including health, education and agriculture.

/ENDS

Notes to editors

Oliver Cumming and Khumbuzile Zuma are both at the G8 Summit and available for interview. for For all media requests contact Chloe Irvine +44 75 1494 1577 OR +44 777 1654 544 (based in L’Aquila) OR Steve Cockburn +44 79 2008 0855

Lurking around the toilets...

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:14:00 +0000

After a long trip to L’Aquila, a surreal night in a half built ‘athletes village’, and police escort to the summit, Day 1 of the G8 has begun.

Or kind of. It has been a day of waiting for the G8 leaders to arrive like blushing brides, walk down a red carpet one by one and be courted by their proud host, Senor Berlusconi.

But possibly the most hectic waiting possible – NGOs flying round left, right and centre to corner journalists and tell their story, with impromptu press conferences and bribery with espressos. Some guerilla action from us has plastered all the G8 toilets with a poster highlighting the campaign, and got me some very funny looks as I hover from cubicle to cubicle…

The main anouncements are due soon. After discussing the world economy (done and dusted in an hour or so), leaders are now talking about ‘global issues’ (again, sorted in about an hour). The communiques should be released soon and everyone has their releases at the ready in eager anticipation…

Watch this space (or twitter for quicker reaction) to see if the water announcement will be done today (it may not be until African leaders arrive on Friday, noone seems to know…), what it will say, and what we think of it. We dont expect to be overwhelmed, but maybe somewhere those lovely G8 folk will surprise us.

Other crucial news. Carla Bruni, wife of President Sarkozy, is not attending the G8 wives' trip to Rome. Perhaps last year's kimono-folding extravaganza was just too much. Maybe, like Chancellor Merkel's husband, she's not too fond of stroking kittens while their spouses sort out the world (in an hour). Vive l'égalité!

Pope demands action on eve of G8 as campaigners sweat it out

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:16:00 +0000

A short note while trying to escape the heat, humidity and tourists in a hectic Rome. Today sees NGOs and media travel out to L’Aquila to prepare for the arrival of G8 leaders tomorrow.

As you may know, L’Aquila suffered a tragic earthquake in April this year, killing 300 people and making 40,000 people homeless. Many are still living there in makeshift accommodation with basic facilities, in the midst of the rubble, while the clear up and rebuilding takes place.

The location of the summit was a controversial one. This is not only because it spolied the holiday plans of those looking forward to working at the previously chosen location - a luxury island resort near Sicily - but more importantly some believed it was playing politics with people’s lives, and also putting G8 leaders at risk. Tremors were felt in the area as recently as this weekend, and you can't imagine Obama's people being too delighted about that…

Whether a welcome act of solidarity with people struggling to recover from disaster or a political charade is your own judgement, but it has caused enough alarm in some quarters to provoke suggestions that Italy should be expelled from the G8 itself. Step up Spain, some are saying - probably not the reaction Mr Berlusconi was hoping for…

Other news while we wait for things to kick off ?

The Pope released a statement calling on the G8 leaders to listen to the voices of Africa and to stand by the poor.

Bob Geldof undertook an extraordinary interview with Berlusconi, berating him for stealing food from the mouths of the starving, while the Italian Prime Minister claimed he would keep his promises if he could, but it was out of his hands…

The UK Government claimed it would push the G8 to keep its aid promises as it announced its new strategy on international development (though surely they could push the water and sanitation part more strongly too...).

And there was time for another GCAP photo stunt in sunny and stunning Piazza del Popolo, calling on the Italian public and media to ‘Press the G8’.

Now off on an undoubtedly very sweaty bus journey…

G8 can't fight poverty without water and sanitation

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Today we launched an appeal in the press warning that the G8 leaders will fail to keep their promises to fight poverty, and undermine their initiatives on combating related isues like the food crisis, unless they fulfil their commitments to tackle access to water and sanitation.

This is the same argument I have been making at the G8 Alternative Summit today. When a lack of water and sanitation is responsible for 30% of child deaths, 443 million missing school days each year, and 5% of GDP lost in Africa, its a no-brainer that the G8 just can’t claim to be serious about eliminating poverty if they fail to tackle this issue.

At last year’s G8 they claimed action would be taken this year. Meaningless on the ground, and too late for millions, but at least a mandate to act this week. Quite simply, they have to do this. Just like they have to meet their promises on health, education and aid. And just like they must not use the economic crisis as an excuse to abandon their commitments to the developing world, at the very time those commitments are needed more than ever.

But worryingly, the Italian Government seems to be sticking to its guns about slashing its budget for international cooperation by 56%. Hard to see where leadership is coming from here…

So maybe a bit of an uphill battle ahead but campaigners are doing their best to be heard and hold leaders to account. A couple of days ago campaign actions taken all over the world to support End Water Poverty reached over 1 million in two years. And just last week GCAP Italy presented over 1.5 million petitions to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

And a bit of light-hearted fun too. Oxfam had a G8 toga party to highlight what these little Emperors and Empress need to do on climate and development. Don't they look regal.

G8 2009: What have the Romans ever done for us ?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:21:00 +0000

Welcome to my first post from a very sweaty Rome, where NGOs are gearing up at the G8 ‘Alternative Summit’, getting ready to try and hold G8 leaders to account.

Its wonderful and tragic to blog from Rome a few days before the 8 most powerful people in the world (David Beckham doesn’t count) gather to decide the fate of billions across the world.

Wonderful not just because of the outrageously stylish people buzzing around with ice creams and man-bags, but becuase if you are vaguely obsessed with sanitation and water facilities you get to wander round a city that brought water and sanitation to Europe.

Tragic though because as you see the ruins of aquaducts and sewers that served Romans around 2000 years ago, you realise how basic these things are, and how unconscienable it is that these could exist so long ago but are still denied to about 40% of the world’s population today.

This week I’ll be reporting back on the highs and lows of the G8 Summit and giving some quick analysis on the outcomes. I’ll also undoubtedly be making major spelling mistakes, poor puns, and unwittingly reinforcing insulting stereotpes. So please keep reading….

You can also follow my 'tweets' below and at www.twitter.com/endwaterpoverty

Indifference, the enemy of ending water poverty

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:05:00 +0000

Today's proceedings started powerfully with a genuinely rousing speech from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, calling for an end to the indifference and inaction that has blighted the fight against poverty.

Outlining a belief that "our greatest enemy is not war or inequality or any single ideology or a financial crisis; it is too much indifference. Indifference in the face of sole-destroying poverty, indifference in the face of catastrophic threats to our planet," Brown called on the world to take action on strengthening health systems, eliminating malaria, providing education for all and ending hunger.

Sentiments we can all commend, passion we can all empathise with, and causes we must all support. Yet Brown also unwittingly highlighted a theme that has become a millstone around the neck of efforts to end the sanitation crisis - indifference to the needs of 40% of the world's population who need access to a safe and hygienic toilet, and a failure of the aid system to respond both the needs and priorities of the poor, as well as evidence of what works to promote health and alleviate poverty.

For it is indifference and a sidelining of the sanitation and water sector in the minds of policy makers that is hampering greater progress towards not only meeting the targets on these issues, but also those targets on slashing extreme poverty, reducing child poverty, achieving universal primary education and attaining gender equality.

Today, Gordon Brown was not the only leader to neglect the indisputable linkages of sanitation and water to health and education, as statement after statement failed either to highlight their role, or if they did they certainly did nothing about it.

There were a few exceptions, of course. The Prince of Orange, Chair of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board on water and sanitation, threw his support behind the UK-Dutch 'global framework for action' and called on others to follow. And others (Australia and Switzerland for example) called for a greater role for water and sanitation.

But overall, the action was elsewhere and while gains have been made at the UN this week, we have some way to go until we see the issues of sanitation and water receive the same attention as they are given by the poor.

The UK-Dutch announcement yesterday was the main show in town for sanitation and water, and whilst it is disappointing that further announcements were not made, progress has been made and the job to bring more people on board - and strengthen the plan with significant levels of funding - starts now.

And further, we must remember to 'bank' what we have so far, while of course remaining scandalised by what has been left undone. A few positives to note:

- The global framework for action (outlined in yesterday's post) is on the table now, is being championed by 2 key governments and will start to be developed and implemented, hopefully with more partners.
- This framework incorporates a lot (but not all) of our policy objectives, and is thanks to your efforts and a growing civil society movement.
- This UN meeting was one step in the process - other important agreements this year include those at the African Union to develop national plans and provide greater domestic spending, and those in the EU Agenda for Action, which commits the EU member states to spend and extra 2 bn Euros on the sector in Africa by 2010.
- The G8 Summit placed the issue firmly for the next year in Italy 2008.

'Banking' these things are fine, but of course we are still a million miles from where we need to be, and there remains as many reasons to be sceptical as optimistic.

- The global framework for action needs broader support to be effective, and countries were not queuing up today to prioritise the sector nor sign up to the framework.
- It needs to ensure sufficient funding and a way to deliver a promise that no country plans will fail through lack of finance.
- The extra money needed is in the billions - the UK-Dutch contribution can only just be the start.
- Even looking at the UK, whose announcement we welcomed, there is still plenty to do to match its rhetoric with action in its own budgets - it spends a paltry 1.5% of its total aid on the sector. This will be true of other donors too. This simply must change.

So we must all start hammering our governments to know (a) whether they will support the global framework, (b) whether they will be increasing their funding to either to meet or match the commitments made, whether at EU or AU level, and (c) whether they will finally consider water and sanitation as an essential and equal partner alongside health and education so that the aid system can work for the poor and we can have a chance of meeting the MDGs and really fighting the broad reality of poverty.

And in doing so we have to tell them indifference will not be tolerated.

Read statements from the High-Level Event

Read about commitments made at the UN meeting (the 24th September includes commitments on MDG 7, the 25th one does not - no idea why...)

Going Dutch: Small steps forward at UN, huge leap needed

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:46:00 +0000

The sanitation and water world feels a little more orange today, as the Dutch Government, supported by the UK, took a lead at the UN in pushing a 'global framework for action' to achieve the MDG targets.

The day began with a presentation of our issues - alongside a powerful video and a petition supported by over 960,000 people - to the Dutch Prime Minister, Jan Balkenende, and the Minister for International Cooperation, Bert Koenders.

The reaction was positive. Today's 'partnership event' saw a significant step forward for End Water Poverty's campaign for global action to achieve the sanitation and water MDG targets, albeit one that requires further work and support to be truly effective.

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Jan Balkenende, and UK Minister for Development, Gareth Thomas, today announced support for a 'global framework for action' that mirrors many of End Water Poverty's key demands. In the joint initiative, the two Governments announced the following, which will also be represented by the Prince of Orange at the UN High-Level Event tomorrow :

- A global high-level meeting to be hosted by UNICEF in 2009, and repeated annually thereafter, that brings together key figures from governments and multilateral bodies.

- €100m over 5 years of new money (we are told...) as an initial investment - with hopefully more to come - to support the development and implementation of national water and sanitation plans in 20 off-track countries.

- Consideration of a catalytic 'fast-track' fund to kick-start programmes and capacity

- €6m to support the administrative and technical costs in setting up the framework of action

- A commitment to try and bring other key governments and bodies on board.

But let us be clear - the above is not the end of the story, and this agreement alone will not be sufficient to turn the tide in the sanitation and water crisis. The new money announced can only be the start - far more is needed to make a deep impact that will transform the fortunes of people living without access to the most basic facilities. But it is a genuine step forward - and truly testament to the work that has been happening across the world - and one we can welcome.

The task beyond the UN summit seems to be to make this the start and not the end - our issues and calls are on the table, being championed by key governments and bodies (and should be supported by some others). This represents progress. Yet the fact that this was the only real and tangible announcement in a meeting otherwise full of commendable sentiments, but devoid of ambitious commitments, suggests we have a lot more work to do.

There is an immediate task for our leaders too. We need governments to support this initiative at tomorrow's discussions at the main High-Level Event in order to build momentum and start to deliver action as well as words, to ensure that this issue is prioritised by governments to the same degree as it is prioritised by the poor.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon summed things up very well. Calling on leaders to step up action, and increase investments substantially, he stressed how a situation where thousands of parents watch their children die unnecessarily every day because of preventable diseases "diminishes us all".

And in a message that all heads of state failing to match rhetoric with investment should heed, he added "we often say that water is life, let us act as if we mean it".

Read the statement summarising the partnership event from the Governments of Tajikistan, Japan, Netherlands and Germany.

'We shall overcome' - singing in the aisles, 23rd September

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 03:15:00 +0000

As a socially awkward Brit keen on avoiding public emotion, taking part in a rousing chorus of 'we shall overcome', that great anthem of the civil rights movement, in a packed chapel is not something experienced on a daily basis. Yet that's exactly what I found myself doing today - admittedly maybe humming more than roaring, shuffling rather than dancing - at the finale of today's civil society 'poverty hearing'.

At the event, organised by the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), representatives from social movements all across the global south stood up on behalf of their communities, testified to their experience of poverty and spoke out to send messages to heads of state assembled at the UN. Speakers included a young girl from India enchanting the audience about how education gave her an escape from exploitative labour, a Masai woman speaking on the twin challenges of climate change and the food crisis on pastoral communities in Kenya, and Jamillah Mwanjisi, Coordinator of the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW), speaking on the global sanitation and water crisis.

Eloquently outlining the fundamental importance of providing safe sanitation and water in order to achieve the MDG targets on poverty, education, gender equality and child mortality, Jamillah asked of the audience 'who is prepared to wait 100 years for a safe place to use the toilet?'. She called on leaders to empower the voices of citizens to drive social progress, and to support the development and financing of national water and sanitation plans. Leaders of north and south have the duty, she said, of implementing the promises made in the International Year of Sanitation to make a breakthrough in the provision of sanitation and water.

With the testimonies being collected by a prestigious panel of elders including Mary Robinson (former UN Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland) and Ela Bhatt (one of the worlds most remarkable pioneers in grassroots development), the recommendations are meant to be fed into the formal proceedings being concluded this Thursday. Certainly the themes outlined by Jamillah were recognised - with Mary Robinson berating the injustice of lacking access to water and sanitation, and fellow elder Serigne Mansour Sy (Co-President of Religions for Peace) stressing how providing access to clean water helps girls get into school and allows women to spend time productively earning an income, working their way out of poverty.

Above all the key messages from this event were the central role of respecting human rights and promoting empowerment, the simple need for all to inject an urgency in the keeping of promises made but never kept, and the criticality of - as Archbishop Winston Ndungane (Archbishop of Cape Town who was imprisoned in Robben Island during the struggle against apartheid), put it - "stiffening our spines and taking the voices of the poor to the corridors of power".

Tomorrow we will ourselves be taking these voices to the corridors of power - first by presenting a petition of over 960,000 actions to the Dutch Prime Minister Jan Balkenende (who has been one of the more progressive leaders in this process), and secondly by participating in the 'partnership event' being organised by the Governments of Germany, Japan, Netherlands and Tajikistan.

So a powerful show from civil society, but it remains to be seen whether leaders will respond. An ambitious deal still seems hampered by a number of countries reluctant to grasp the opportunity ahead of them, happier to put their head in the sand than act with vision and conscience. I'm not sure we will be singing in the aisles tomorrow, but I will be the first to clear my throat in the event that we should.

The Jamboree Begins - but how will it end?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:27:00 +0000

Tuesday 23rd Sep, 0500 GMT

Monday saw the start of the proceedings in the big apple - with parts of New York ground to a standstill as leaders, ministers, and assorted VIPs began to descend on the city for the week's activities, followed by a smattering of civil society representatives labouring without the security convoys and sharp suits.

This is the week when New York gets taken over by the UN General Assembly. Already the news agenda includes protests over the arrival of the Iranian President and concern over the aftermath of the crisis in Georgia - but is most of all saturated by the resulting traffic jams... Nuclear proliferation, international conflict and global poverty seems unable to compete for airspace with the sight and sounds of a sea of yellow taxi cabs and their horn-honking drivers.

Today's focus on 'Africa's Development Needs' saw African Heads of State agreeing a political declaration outlining their common view of what needs to be done on a range of issues from debt, aid and trade to health, education and climate change. All clear, desirable and uncontroversial, yet the declaration was worryingly short of detail, not least on water and sanitation. Offering nothing beyond the reiteration of past commitments, the declaration was silent on how these commitments should be delivered, what they would do to implement them, or what donors needed to do to support them.

Surely an example perhaps of what we need to avoid this week. The last thing we need is another paper simply compiling the same unmet promises, another document to add to the burgeoning library of repeated - and repeatedly ignored - commitments. Surely we just need an outline of concrete actions to deliver them, not a process to negotiate once again what has already been agreed. Otherwise this could all be done by teleconference and we could save New Yorkers the trouble of sitting bumper to bumper in traffic while world leaders move at an equally slow pace (and possibly in a less certain direction).

But what of the rest of the week? The two big days are on Wednesday and Thursday - the former being the date of a 'partnership event' being organised by Germany, Japan, Netherlands and Tajikistan that is meant to provide leadership and ideas for action in the water and sanitation sector, and the latter being the main day where leaders get together to discuss and agree actions on achieving the MDGs. Although cynics might say that 'discussion' may mean reading pre-prepared statements, and 'action' may mean anything but, I will reserve judgement...

The outcomes of these two days remain uncertain and partly open. On the one hand, there could be some positive announcements and commitments from individual countries taking forward some of things End Water Poverty has been calling for. On the other, a comprehensive, ambitious, collective agreement of the sort needed may be harder to achieve. This UN meeting won't be the place where a final agreement is reached to agree a global action plan to meet the sanitation and water MDGs, but it could be an important step on the way.

A huge question remains, however. One being asked all over the world. How long can we wait? On current trends it will be 100 years until the target to halve the proportion of people without access to sanitation is reached Sub-Saharan Africa - 93 years later than promised by world leaders at the start of the millennium. If waiting 30 minutes in a traffic jam is something to get upset about, something to fill a news bulletin, how about this? How about having to wait 100 years to be able to use a safe toilet without the indignity or health hazards of open defecation?

Yet it doesn't have to be like this. There are things that can be done. To deliver them requires a different mentality. There are a few things that leaders in New York need to keep in mind this week:

Firstly, that there are big wins available by tackling the sanitation and water crisis, big opportunities to make real progress with comprably modest investments. Historical evidence shows that the provision of sanitation is perhaps the single most effective development intervention in improving public health. And the UN estimates that investments deliver a nine-fold economic return.

Secondly, that the world just won't succeed in the fight against poverty and disease unless they tackle the sanitation and water crisis. Without action, poor sanitation will continue to kill more children than any other single cause, hundreds of millions of school days will keep being lost, and the lives of women will continue to be blighted by hours of daily labour collecting water.

And finally, that they just would not stand for this situation if it was their family suffering the indignities and health hazards of public defecation, or their child lost to an easily preventable diahrreal disease.

Surely inaction and prevarication would be not only be foolish and short-sighted but unconscienable too?

Read a copy of the draft political declaration, adopted by African leaders today.

UN High-Level Event on the MDGs

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:03:00 +0000

19th September 2008

Welcome to the latest blog from End Water Poverty.

Between 22nd and 25th September I will be keeping you up to date on the latest happenings at the United Nations in New York. Heads of State are gathering to discuss measures to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including the crucial targets on water and sanitation.

Falling at the mid-point towards the deadline for achieving the MDGs, and towards the International Year of Sanitation, the UN meeting provides a real opportunity for world leaders to do more than say the right things. They have the chance to take concrete action in support of the 2.5 billion people around the world who have no safe place to use the toilet, and the 900 million people who have no access to clean water.

Will this be the breakthrough we need, or will it be more of the same?

Read more about the meeting at www.endwaterpoverty.org/un

Day 3: It ain't over 'til it's over

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:27:00 +0000

1540 GMT

Most toilets flush in the key of E Flat. Allegedly. I don't know who worked that out. Slow day at the office? And obviously that might not apply in Japan, where (as mentioned already) toilets come with a full orchestral background.

So what's the final verdict? And what's next?

As always with the G8 it's a mixed bag: a bemusing combination of warm words, cold hearts, closed wallets and promised lands. Not everything you want but still just enough to hold out hope that serious progress is just around the corner, just as long as we can pin them down once and for all... Maybe its like nailing jelly to the wall - it will cause a mess, people will be annoyed, it won't work out as you hoped, but something will stick.

Anyway, enough of the rubbish metaphors. Of course, we didn't get everything we wanted - no global action plan, no new money, no end to the crisis in sight just yet.

But does that mean the effort wasn't worth it, and does that mean we should all give up? Of course not. This last week we have seen some genuine progress, even if it's quite clearly not enough. Sanitation and water has been discussed at the top-table for the first time in years, and the commitments could - maybe, if we follow it up right - be the start of a process that puts sanitation and water at the centre of efforts to boost health and combat poverty.

Whilst we don't have a solution to the sanitation crisis this week, we do have a better platform from which to go forward - more commitments, greater recognition, more allies and the promise of a process that starts now, stops off at the UN in September, reports at the G8 in Italy next year, and continues onwards.

We have also built critical momentum. Leaders across Africa and Asia have promised to step up efforts to tackle the sanitation crisis, and G8 leaders now have too. And there is a growing public movement backing this up - 940,000 of you taking action in support of the campaign so far. There is no doubt that this made a difference, no doubt it has to continue.

And media too - reports in the BBC, Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, Lancet, Ghanaian Times, and many more show the silence on sanitation is finally being broken.

And what's next? More work, more campaigning, more toilet puns. Obviously. This G8 has not been flushed with success, we're still waiting for them to spend a penny (or more), but there is no doubt that we're on a (toilet) roll...

Looking forward we have a couple of key moments ahead, not least at the UN in September. This will be when all the world's leaders - not just those privileged enough to eat caviar and sea-urchin in Japan - will gather to agree measures to try and save the Millennium Development Goals.

This is crucial, and getting a focus on sanitation here could be the next small victory on the way to one day ending the sanitation crisis.

It shouldn't be this hard for everyone to have access to a safe toilet, shouldn't be so difficult to prevent over 2 million kids dying each year from such preventable causes, but for some reason it is. And it's our job to convince them.

G8 Day 3: Kimono folding extravaganza as major economies leave 1.7bn people behind

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:48:00 +0000

1400 GMT

I know you've all been sitting on your toilet seats waiting for this next update. Supposedly the average person spends 3 years of their life going to the loo, so dont feel too bad. Just wash your hands, please.

What happened on day 3? The G8 invited some more pals along - leaders of the 8 'major economies'* joined messrs. Bush et al to discuss climate change and the world economy. Astonishingly, these 8 countries represent countries where over two-thirds of the world's population who lack safe sanitation live - over 1.7bn people. A reminder both that poor sanitation is not just an African issue, and that economic growth and a burgeoning middle class does not necessarily equate to social improvements for all.

Day 3 was again dominated by the world economy, Zimbabwe and climate change - very much the leading stories of the summit alongside the food crisis.

And for light entertainment (and a poor advert for gender equality) there was the G8 wives (and husband) learning to fold kimonos while their husbands (and wife) sort the world out. Sort of.

*Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea

G8 leave 2.6 billion people with nowhere to go

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:57:00 +0000

1200 GMT

And here it is, the G8 statement on Africa and Development. The collective wisdom and energy of the 7 most powerful men - and the world’s most powerful woman - on the continent’s development.

And what does it say?

Not a lot. Certainly not enough to satisfy the hundreds of thousands of campaigners who demanded a global action plan to provide sanitation and water for all. And certainly not enough for the 2.6 billion people around the world who have no safe place to go to the toilet.

To be fair, there are some positives – sanitation and water have been discussed at the top table for the first time in 5 years. They recognised it as central to improving health and development, acknowledged the need to accelerate efforts to meet the millennium development goals and started a process which will be reviewed at next year’s G8.

But really, lets not get too excited. Imagine if you were one of the world’s most powerful people (maybe you are, if so call me). Imagine you were discussing ways to stop kids dying with your 7 extremely powerful pals. Imagine you knew that poor sanitation probably kills more children every year than any other cause. What would you do?

• Issue a statement that provides almost no concrete commitments – and no money - to deliver more taps and toilets to the world’s poor?

• Set up a working group to report in 1 year (by which time 2.4 million children will have died from poor sanitation), based on implementing a failed plan agreed 5 years ago?

• Actively veto suggestions made by your powerful friends that might actually improve the health of 40% of world’s population?

If last night you ate a meal with 18-24 dishes (depending on which paper you read) then you might well have done all of the above.

In many ways we’ve forward since the 2007 G8, when neither water nor sanitation got a look in. We have a platform to go forward to the UN meeting in September. But is this pace of change, this level of ambiguity, this lack of money really acceptable to someone living in a slum next an open sewer, sharing 1 insanitary toilet with hundreds of other people?

Messrs Brown, Burlosconi, Bush, Fukuda, Harper, Merkel, Medvedev and Sarkozy: what do you think?

And whilst we’re at it, leaders of Africa: is this what you were looking for?

For the official response, read the End Water Poverty press release

Read the G8 communique on Africa and development

More toilet trivia while we're waiting...

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:44:00 +0000

Did you know that the typical Japanese toilet comes complete with musical background, seat warmer and automatic deodoriser? It's true, and you can pay over $5000 for a top of the range one. And currently under development is a one that takes samples from your urine to test blood sugar levels, calculate your bodymass index and then automatically email your doctor through fibre optic broadband. Seriously.

And at the same time over 40% of the world's population have no access to any toilet at all, putting them at huge risk of sickness and disease and killing up to 2.4 million children every year.

Doesn't sound quite right does it...

Day 2 at the G8

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:31:00 +0000

0630 GMT

Before the whole G8 business, ponder this: 1 month ago NASA spent $450m launching a space mission in order to fix broken toilet on the International Space Station. It spends less than 4 times this amount on sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa...

Back on earth, at the G8 summit, coverage of yesterday's outreach with African countries focused largely on Zimbabwe, although water and sanitation was raised alongside the food crisis as priority areas by the African leaders. Other hot topics around the summit appear to be the food crisis, oil prices, the state of the world economy, climate change and fears of backtracking on previous aid and HIV commitments.

(as i write this the documents on the world economy have been released)

As we get closer to the main announcement on Africa - probably happening late this afternoon (Japan time) - it has become increasingly clear how negotiations have watered down proposals on tackling the water and sanitation crisis. Comparing leaked drafts of the G8 communique dated before and after key negotiation meeting shows how proposals to establish an annual review and meeting to drive global progress were vetoed.

We'll have to see what comes out in the end but brace yourselves for ambiguity. On the one hand there will be positive recognition of the issue's importance and some hope for future processes. But on the other, don't expect a detailed action plan to end the crisis once and for all - or access to the G8 bank account - just yet... I'm more likely to be flying to the moon to fix a toilet.

The G8 Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Cockburn) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:20:00 +0000

Konichiwa!

Welcome to my End Water Poverty G8 blog, coming straight at you from rain-soaked Hokkaido, where I will be reporting back on the global circus that is the G8 summit. As 7 men and 1 woman luxuriate by Lake Toyako, putting the world to rights, deciding the fate of billions of people across the world, this intrepid but bleary-eyed correspondent will endeavour to keep you informed and updated.

7th July 0600 GMT, Hokkaido, Japan

The G8 officially kicks off today, with its day of 'African outreach' - whereby heads of 8 African states are invited to join the party. Whilst there will be a drip feed of news and rumour, as as a press conference, the bigger statements on Africa, climate change and the world economy are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.

So as the jamboree starts, what do we expect to happen? A lot of words and back-slapping for sure. But concrete action to deliver for the 40% of the world's population who have no access to safe sanitation? Hmmm not if current rumours and intelligence are anything to go by...

Newly leaked drafts of the G8 communique show how commitments have been watered down in negotiations, with few commitments and even fewer measurable actions.

So clearly there is quite a fight ahead at this summit and beyond to get agreement on a genuinely ambitious global plan of action on sanitation and water, but at least now we have made it to the battlefield...

In other news, WaterAid launched a new report today, detailing evidence showing that poor sanitation may be the biggest killer children in the world today. Accounting for a quarter of all child deaths, the lack of a safe place to go the toiled could be killing 2.4 million children every year.

So a question for Frau Merkel, Monsieur Sarkozy and friends - which of you are blocking measures to stop this public health scandal, and what are you thinking?

For more information about End Water Poverty, visit www.endwaterpoverty.org