Dialogue on ‘Women and Water’
World Water Day 2019
Her Excellency Ngin Lyna, General Director of General Directorate of Knowledge, Information and Environment
His Excellency Vat Botkosal, Deputy Secretary of Cambodia National Mekong Committee
Ladies and gentlemen representatives from different government’s ministries for your honor presence
Lecturers from RUPP and ITC
Representatives of CSOs, youth, students and communities for your participation.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
World Water Day is organized annually the 22th of March by UN Water. During this day globally many events are taking place to create awareness of the theme that is always related to water. Theme of World Water Day 2019 is ‘Leave no one behind.’ What does this mean?
‘Leaving no one behind’ is an adaptation of the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: as sustainable development progresses, everyone must benefit. Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) includes a target to ensure availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030. By definition, this means “Leaving No One Behind.”
Globally, this day, about 1.8 billion people have no access to clean and safe drinking water and sanitation. They are forced to use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting serious illnesses. The objective of World Water Day 2019 providing people that are left behind, like for instance refugees, with clean water and safe toilets.
People from different groups are left behind for different reasons. Until now water interventions fail to reach those most in need. These people need greater representation in political and other decision-making processes, either directly or through civil society organizations with a clear mandate from those they represent. This is why public awareness and empowerment of communities is critical to enable the human rights to water and sanitation to be realized.
The event today is on the topic of “Women and Water” that brings together CSOs, Academia and government ministries, lecturers, youths and students for sharing ideas and discussing water resource management to celebrate World Water day 2019. The event provides opportunity to raise awareness about how critical important of water, what are the key roles of women in managing and accessing safe water, who is not being included in decision making on water. The gathering will provide a chance for key individual who participated in Women and River Congress in Nepal last two weeks to share key learning points and experiences to diverse participants for joint effort for equitable, inclusive and sustainable water resource management for people living without safe water in contribution to achieving SDG with the key message ‘leaving no one behind.”
I hope that, beside the celebrating world water day 2019, the event today will raise awareness to different actors (CSO, Academia, government policy makers, youths and media) to pay more attention on critical importance of water and put joint efforts for inclusive engagement of diverse people in water resource decision making process for equitable clean and safe water for all.
Last but not least, I would like to thank to all excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, students for your participation.
Greater thanks to RUPP and ITC for good collaboration with us for allowing and sending students and key speakers for co-organizing this dialogue.
My appreciation to Oxfam colleagues and partners for great coordination and collaboration to make the event be possible.
I would like to open the dialogue from now.