WORLD WATER DAY 22 March

World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance day that highlights the importance of fresh water. The theme for World Water Day 2019 is ‘Leaving no one behind’. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 is crystal clear: water for all by 2030.

At the local government level, World Water Day next Friday 22 March is an opportunity to promote the work of LWUs in providing fresh water for the community, as well as drawing attention to the reality that billions of people around the world are still living without safe water.

Marginalised people in many countries - women, children, indigenous people, disabled people, refugees and others - are often overlooked, and sometimes face discrimination, as they try to access and manage the safe water they need.

To ‘leave no one behind’, water services must meet the needs of marginalized groups and their voices must be heard in decision-making processes. Regulatory and legal frameworks must recognise the right to water for all people, and sufficient funding must be fairly and effectively targeted at those who need it most.