Access to Water and Sanitation

Topic:
Country: Japan
Delegate Name: Cassidy Convey

Access to water and sanitation has been a pressing issue for years. As a part of the Sustainable development goals, the UN is trying to complete by 2030 this is number six. 2 billion people lacked access to safe drinking water and 3.6 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation in 2020. This has become even more of a problem due to the worldwide pandemic and the spread of COVID-19. Not only covid but other diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. Low-income countries are struggling even more now to provide safe sanitation and water. This will not only continue to affect low-income countries struggling with this but also countries that are dependent on those countries.

Japan has a great interest in the matter, Japan already has provided 40 million people with clean water and accessible sanitation and many more to countries that cannot afford it. Japan has many plans in place to pace with the Sustainable development goals. They have 90% of their country accessible to clean drinking water. In addition to this Japan has recently started helping out other countries who are struggling to keep pace. Japan has partnered with the United States to provide clean water with the launch of the “Clean Water for People” initiative, a partnership to improve the sustainable management of freshwater resources and accelerate and expand international efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goal of cutting in half by 2015 the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water, and similar effort on sanitation.

Japan would like to see help offered to other countries to help them provide clean water and sanitation to lower-class countries. Japan will also continue the pace it is on and continue to provide safe drinking water to not only its own people but to other counties if wanted. Japan would not wish to interfere with the sovereignty of any nation and would be opposed to any plan which deprives any country of its rights to its lands.

Country: India
Delegate Name: Ricardo Pastor

As the world develops and gets bigger, more and more people require water and sanitation; according to the CDC, 2.2 billion people are not getting these resources. Clean water, a critical asset that every human should have, is not present for so many people across the globe. Studies have shown that humans can only live without water for three days. Even more disturbing, over 4.2 billion people have no source of sanitation. With a lack of sanitation, people can get sick, spread viruses, and much more. Currently, the UN is trying to combat this critical issue by forming Water and the Sustainable Development Goals. The program tackles these heart-hurting issues that have impacted so many.

India recognizes the impacts of the lack of clean water as less than 50 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water. The sad reality is that the water is chemically contaminated, mainly through fluoride and arsenic, present in 1.96 million dwellings. In addition, two-thirds of India’s 718 districts are affected by extreme water depletion. One of the challenges is the fast rate of groundwater depletion in India, which is known as the world’s highest user of this source due to the proliferation of drilling over the past few decades. The groundwater supplies 85 percent of drinking water in rural areas. India has agreed with the Sustainable Development Goals to improve the situation further. (UN)

The committee should look favorable on expanding and enhancing programs such as the Sustainable Development Goals. By recognizing that clean water is necessary to people around the world. Without the worry of contamination and clean water, countries can focus on economic growth and allow people to work and make the world better.

Sources:
“Global Wash Fast Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Apr. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html.
– https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325174#how-long-can-you-live-without-water
– https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/water
– https://www.unicef.org/india/what-we-do/clean-drinking-water

Country: Estonia
Delegate Name: Aaron Purrenhage

DATE: 11/20/2021
SUBMITTED TO: United Nations Developmental Programme
FROM: the Republic of Estonia
TOPIC: Access to Water and Sanitation.

Access to usable water is without a doubt one of the most vital utilities that has helped humanity develop and prosper over our existence. Coupled with access to water, Proper sanitation has allowed us to save more lives. Despite all the advances in these technologies, in the world today we still see millions of people across the globe who lack this basic human need, which in turn causes over 800,000 deaths per year according to the world health organization. In less-developed countries it is all to common to see the discharge of harmful chemicals and other materials into water ways and water systems. This causes diseases to spread throughout afflicted communities. Roughly 2 billion people do not have access to proper, clean and safe drinking water, and according to the CDC there are about 3 million cases of cholera annually, which causes an estimated 95,000 deals per year. This is a problem that has, and still needs to be tackled by the global community. Thankfully we know that great strides have been made by both governments and non-governmental organization to improve access to water and proper sanitation, such bodies like Water.org and H20 for life. Estonia believes that we must work diligently to bring these areas the basic needs they need, and to ensure the global community reaches the Sustainable Development Goal 6 established by the United Nations.

The nation of Estonia is privileged to have a good track record on access to clean water and proper sanitation for our citizens. As of 2017 93.33% of Estonians had access to clean drinking water. In Estonia our ministry of Social and ministry of the Environment work in tangent to ensure drinking water gets to our citizens that is both readily available and safe for drinking.
Our public waterworks operate tirelessly to remove over 200 harmful materials from water we draw in from local water impoundments. Our industries are highly regulated to ensure that our citizen receive water they can use for either drinking, bathing or cooking safely. Our nation believes that ensuring the proper treatment of water and access to sanitation is a top priority for establishment in communities needed proper water and sanitation. Setting our proper guidelines for establishing and improving water access is a must if we want to meeting our sustainable development goals. Our Nation hopes to work with NGOs, as well our neighbors in the European union to improve Water Access and sanitation not only in Europe but in far-flung destinations.

Setting out guidelines and the proper investment has helped our nation increase our access to clean water and sanitation, a policy we hope that can be applied to regions who need it the most. Our nation understands that above simple regulations and investment, there are broader issues when it comes to Water access and Sanitation. There are lots of people in the world who live in areas where there is a severe lack of bodies of water to draw upon for usage. In many counties there are either rivers or lakes or freshwater that can be harnessed to provide municipal water for their citizens. But for nations like Mali for example, their land area is comprised by a lot of desert, that leaves their options for water access rather limited. Options are still available to provide water, for nations with access to a saltwater source can utilize desalinization to produce fresh water, with water division also being an option. However both these techniques have their drawbacks. The UNEP should take action to help these nations to gain better access to water and sanitation, using help from NGO’s and local government to make a better world we can all live in.

Sources Cited:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html
https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/nonprofits-fighting-global-water-crisis/
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html

Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Sarah Zaruba

One of the fundamental keys to survival is having access to water and sanitation. While significant strides have been made in expanding access to uncontaminated drinking water and sanitation, billions of people, predominantly in more isolated regions, are still deprived of these basic needs. Globally, one in three people do not have access to purified drinking water, two out of five people do not have a basic hand-washing facility with soap and water. More than half of the world does not have access to safe sanitation services. This lack of access leads to increasing numbers in homeless people, disease, and death.
Ukraine’s work on clean water and sanitation is linked to the following Sustainable Development Goals: 1- no poverty, 3- good health and well being, 9- industry, innovation, and infrastructure, and 16- peace, justice and strong institutions. Ukraine is currently working with UNICEF to support river basin management plans in Donetska. Because of our work towards SDG 6, 89% of the population in Ukraine has access to a safely managed drinking water service. Water is related to every aspect of development. If the water issue is not soon addressed it will affect other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, food production, climate change, and energy. Like other countries, Ukraine is facing the tragic effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and it is driving many citizens into poverty. To improve the water and sanitation crisis, Ukraine is working towards the provision of water treatment chemicals to ensure the safe distribution of water. We are restoring water systems and we are currently working with small towns to address our weaknesses and find solutions.
Ukraine urges that the UNDP partners with UNICEF to help meet the water and sanitation needs for citizens areas of need. As this has been beneficial to us achieving our goals of access to safe water. Looking ahead we hope to focus on improving fair access to water and sanitation, reducing exposure to environmental risks, and improving hygiene practices in communities, schools, and health facilities.

Country: Tunisia
Delegate Name: Nikhil Talla

Water is arguably the most vital resource; humans need water to survive for many reasons. Drinking, bathing, cooking, and washing hands are just a few of the vital applications of this critical resource. Humans around the world have a lack of access to safe water and sanitation, causing many health problems. According to the CDC, 884 million people did not have safe water to drink, and 1.2 million people died as a result of unsafe water sources in 2017. The United Nations has set goals to solve this problem, but more work has to be done to ensure water access and sanitation for everyone. Water use efficiency needs to be improved, and water-based ecosystems need to be protected.

The Republic of Tunisia has a rural population of thirty percent, and is, by United Nations water standards, a “very water scarce country.” Created in 1968, the National Water Supply Authority in Tunisia (SONEDE) was made responsible for the provision of water supply services by the Tunisian government. SONEDE is a public, non-administrative entity that is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Hydraulic Resources (MAERH). SONEDE provides drinking water to 100% of the urban population in Tunisia and around 50% of the rural population. The Tunisian government placed the National Office of Sanitation of Tunisia (ONAS) in charge of sanitation and protection of the environment in cities, industrial zones, and tourist zones. Currently, all the urban population has basic drinking water access, but this decreases to 83% for the rural population. For sanitation, 89% of urban households use improved sanitation facilities, while in rural areas, 56% of households use latrines, and 20% use septic tanks. Of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, Tunisia has the highest access to water rates. Tunisia’s government has made progress but is still pushing for better water access and sanitation to fulfill all needs and reduce all health risks.

The lack of water access and sanitation creates adverse health problems, and Tunisia plans to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to develop cheaper ways to access water. This includes developing new technologies and methods to allow all citizens to get the water they need. Possible solutions include desalination plants, well drilling, and Household Water Treatment and Safe Storages (HWTS). Tunisia is also willing to pilot new technologies that are developed by either the United Nations, other governments, or NGOs. Tunisia is open to other solutions that address the lack of water and sanitation.

Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Seth Verburg

United Nation Development Program
Access to Water and Sanitation
United States of America
Seth Verburg
Forest Hills Eastern

Without water, life cannot flourish. Without water, death will surge. And even with access to water, if that water is not clean it can still lead to death and/or major discomfort. 1 in 3 people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water. This data was not collected in 2019. The most valuable necessity of life is not available to everybody in the world. Water is seen as a human right and The United Nations Development Program would like to oversee more water in more homes. Not just water, clean sanitized water. No more thirst will be tolerated. The UNDP recognizes this thousand-year-old issue needs to end.

In the United States, we believe all citizens deserve access to clean water. The United States has a public water system that provides water to 87% of Americans every day. There are also many privately owned water systems as well as private wells that help to provide Americans with water. With the help of many state and local authorities, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) helps to provide clean and sanitized water to citizens around the country. The United States has lent a lot of time and effort to water around the world and will continue to. We have promoted new sciences and technology. The United States has proudly funded millions of dollars towards UNDP projects since it was created. Overall, The United States wants to see more countries less thirsty and wants to eradicate the problem.

The United States would recommend other, struggling countries provide a government-organized water supply system, and if this is not possible, provide fundings to a private organization to help make one. If anything, a water system like this could stop millions of people from being thirsty and make profit for the government to fund even more to end this problem. We will continue to provide global assistance until every country has access to clean, sanitary water.

Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Hope Orban

United Nations Development Program
Access to Water and Sanitation
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Hope Orban
Forest Hills Eastern

Access to water and sanitation is an intense global issue. The World Health Organization predicts that half of the global population will live in areas without consistent access to clean water by the year 2025. Lack of safely-managed drinking water is connected to many health problems including cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, and polio. All of these diseases can spread through unclean and unregulated water. Poor wastewater management systems result in a loss of economic productivity as well as a loss in physical health of a country’s citizens because of sanitation-related illnesses and the costs that come with treating them. A challenge with providing access to clean water around the world is creating sustainable ways for global access of clean water. The UNDP must find a solution that provides a way that is both practical and sustainable.

Nigeria struggles deeply with water security issues. UNICEF estimates that over 70,000 children under five die annually due to water-borne diseases. According to USAID, only 33% of the population has access to sanitation. The Borgen Project estimates that only 19% of Nigerians have access to adequate drinking water. Clean water collection is also a significant issue in Nigeria. The burden of taking long journeys to get clean water often falls on women, not allowing them to attend school and be members of society in the way that men are. Though Nigeria has been embroiled with attacks from terrorist groups, specifically Al-Qaeda, it is attentive to issues on water and sanitation. In an attempt to combat these problems, Nigeria launched a 13 year national action plan to ensure total access to sustainable and regulated WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) services by 2030. They have developed the National Urban Water Sector Reform Program (NUWSRP) which focuses on increased access to quality piped water in urban areas, infrastructure improvements, and water utility and sustainability.

Nigeria is making great progress in making access to clean water and regulated sanitation services for its citizens, but more must be done to insure these resources globally. Nigeria would like to continue funding and receive funding to help finance programs like NUWSRP that help with WASH issues. Surrounding countries also struggle with issues involving water and sanitation, so Nigeria hopes to partner with these regions to create solutions to common problems. Nigeria would like to collaborate with organizations such as UNICEF who know what resources are needed to improve water and sanitation in the country and how to implement them. By funding programs that promote improvements for water and sanitation in Nigeria, and partnering with other countries with similar needs and organizations like UNICEF, the United Nations hope to bring about continuing improvement in this difficult issue in the world.

Country: Germany
Delegate Name: Muskan Rekhani

United Nations Development Programme
Access to Water and Sanitation
Federal Republic of Germany
Muskan Rekhani
Forest Hills Eastern

Giving access to clean water or sanitation for everyone in all parts of the world is a big struggle. For example, in 2020, 2 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water, 3.6 billion lacked safely-managed sanitation, and 2.3 billion lacked access to basic hygiene services. About 1.5 million under the age of 5 die each year due to not having clean water in reach. One continent that faces this hardship the most is Africa, specifically Sub-Saharan Africa. The United Nations recognized this problem in 2010. International law, through human rights treaties, declarations, and other standards. In all of these official recognitions, they state that all humans have the right to sanitation. Including sufficient water for personal and domestic uses. Another action the UN took on this issue is setting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are a set of broad goals that the United Nation members agreed to pursue. Some of their targets are to improve access to water and sanitation are to reduce water pollution, improve the efficiency of water use, and manage water-related ecosystems. These actions by the UN were important because in several cases regarding the right to water, areas have been threatened by higher powers about discontinuing the water supply but those threats were shut down because constitutionally all humans have a right to water.

Although Germany recognizes access to clean water is a problem in some regions, Germany does not have an issue with this. In contrast, though, over the last 3 winters, it has been particularly dry. As a result of this, water levels have been falling, so this may cause future water problems. For now, though, 4% of Germany’s population is without a sewerage system and needs this for good public health because it filters water for safe consumption and usage. This new dryness and the alarming rate of droughts in Germany could lead to future problems. Still, as of now, more than 99% of residents are connected to a public water system while the rest have private wells and 93% are connected to sewers while the remainder has various types of on-site sanitation systems. Germany achieved this through sharing its water responsibility with the European Union (EU). As a country, there are no regulatory agencies or water and sanitation at the federal or state level. However, Germany plays a key role in setting the legal framework for tariff approvals. Other than that, their role in their policies relating to water is indirect and mostly run by the EU. The EU has the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive of 1991 which is about protecting the environment from adverse effects due to urban wastewaters, next they have the Drinking water directive of 1998 which is about filtering the water to make it safe.

Germany proposes that the United Nations follow their example and work to build a water system as a continent as a whole rather than their own individual countries. Some countries are dry and have weak water sources. With the help of other countries, however, they can be provided with clean healthy water that every human has a right to. This would work because continents as a whole care about their well-being, so countries within them will be more willing to help each other. In exchange for the water and sanitation help, the countries struggling with water can provide help back with other needs. In addition, some more extreme ways the United Nations can move closer to their SDGs would be to limit water waste, control global warming, and regulate water pollution.

Country: France
Delegate Name: Alejandro Alvarez

Country: France
Delegate Name: Alejandro Alvarez
Committee: UNDP
Topic: Access to Water and Sanitation
School: Kalamazoo Central Highschool

As Covid-19 rampages throughout the globe, it is important to remember that lack of clean water and sanitation is one of the main ways for disease to spread throughout the modern and undeveloped world. Additionally, the lack of clean water and an improper system of sanitation is linked to many health complications that further damage disadvantaged populations. Out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set up by the United Nations, SDG 6 seeks to improve access to water and sanitation, reduce pollution, improve the efficiency of water use, and manage water related ecosystems. France supports the development and progress being done towards achieving SDG 6 by 2030 in order to ensure sustainable access to water and sanitation around the world.

In the past, France has adopted three major water regulation laws in order to bring clean water to its constituents. The first major one, being the Water Act of 1964, established the legal framework necessary for regulating the pollution of water resources resulting in the creation of 6 water agencies to manage water pollution in different regions of France. These agencies would subsequently be reformed by the water acts of 1992 and 2006. The impact of these water acts has been profound as over 99% of France’s population has access to a safely managed drinking water service and 79% of the populace uses a safely managed sanitation service according to the UN Water Global Analysis. Even though this data is satisfactory in comparison to the rest of the world, France mustn’t stop passing laws and regulations until proper water and sanitation is accessible to all as established in SDG6 by the UN.

France recognizes that access to clean water and sanitation is a human right that must be upheld to ensure the wellbeing of its citizens. In order to meet the goals set by SDG6, France proposes pushing to establish more policies relating to sanitation so the other 21% of the population in France and other countries have access to a proper system of sanitation and clean water. This would include more funding for infrastructure to revise and expand national and local sewage systems so they’re more efficient and poorer populations can access them at no extra cost, especially in developing countries. France would like to find allies with the countries of the EU and the UK as their close proximity and past involvement with France would allow for better coordination as the UN tries to bring access to clean water and sanitation to countries around the world.

Country: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Delegate Name: Akshat Jain

Country: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Delegate Name: Akshat Jain

Country: St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Committee: UN Development Program (UNDP)
Topic: Access to Water and Sanitation
Delegate: Akshat Jain
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

Water insecurity and sanitation is a major problem in today’s society. The reason being increased pollution, higher human demand, and the overuse of water. Many steps need to be taken- especially with 785 million people with no access to basic water services, more than 884 million people with no access to clean drinking water, about 2 billion people worldwide with no access to basic sanitation, and around 3 billion people lacking the adequate facilities to wash their hands at home. Furthermore, due to the constant volcanic eruptions occurring, St. Vincent and the Grenadines lacks clean drinking water. Unsafe drinking water is responsible for 1.2 million deaths each year while a lack of sanitation/hygiene is responsible for 775,000 deaths. As of right now, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, having proper sanitation is of utmost importance. About 1.8 million children under the age of 5 die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia. Washing hands with soap could help prevent 1 out of every 3 children that get sick from pneumonia. Although steps are being put in place to ensure this is not as big of a persisting problem, St. Vincent and the Grenadines believes in some additional measures such as increasing education and awareness of these issues, investing in new conservation technologies, and improving irrigation and agricultural water use.

Between persistent volcanic eruptions and having to collect and use “clean water” from rain barrels, St. Vincent and the Grenadines fully understands the importance of clean drinking water, and proper sanitation. In the year of 2000, 93.152% of St. Vincent’s population had access to clean water, and 18 years later, in 2018, 95.145% had access to clean water. However, the eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano completely decimated this number. While the UN has launched a $29.2 million dollar funding appeal for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it has also spread this money across countries like Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and St. Lucia. Moreover, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is still recovering from a devastating COVID-19 crisis, with 5 percent of the total population affected by this virus. On the other hand, in terms of sanitation throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines, sewage treatment consists of septic tanks for collection and treatment and soak-away systems for disposal of effluent. Many times, sewage discharges straight into the sea. The result is an extremely heavily stressed environment. Almost all coral has been killed off because of this. Since there is very little coral, the overall ecosystem is unable to regenerate the beaches with sand which is a concern in terms of plant life, biodiversity, and tourism. With all of this in mind, clean water, sanitation issues, available shelter, and a full-blast pandemic to recover from, St. Vincent and the Grenadines believes that more funding is required to help recover from these sudden and more long term events, before they become too far out of hand.

The reason these water and sanitation issues mainly exist is due to the lack of attention and lack of funding. Because water and sanitation issues are very persistent in not only St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but also in many other countries, St. Vincent and the Grenadines encourages that the UN starts programs to improve the water and sanitation issues like raising awareness, new conservation technologies, improvement of irrigation and agricultural water use, and finally, energy efficient desalination plants. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is aware that many of these programs are already in place; however, encourages that funding increases. In conclusion, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is looking for additional funding from the UN, or help from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to help with these devastating issues taking place.

Works Cited:

CDC. “Show Me the Science – Why Wash Your Hands?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, www.cdc.gov/handwashing/why-handwashing.html.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Global WASH Fast Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019, www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html.
“People Using at Least Basic Drinking Water Services (% of Population) – St. Vincent and the Grenadines | Data.” Data.worldbank.org, data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.H2O.BASW.ZS?end=2018&locations=VC&start=2000. Accessed 24 Nov. 2021.
“Speaking about Water Quality in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.” BORGEN, 23 Aug. 2017, www.borgenmagazine.com/water-quality-in-st-vincent-and-the-grenadines/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2021.
“St. Vincent and the Grenadines – GEF-CReW.” Www.gefcrew.org, www.gefcrew.org/index.php/participating-countries/st-vincent-and-the-grenadines. Accessed 24 Nov. 2021.
Thorsberg, Christian. “Volcanic Eruptions and Water Insecurity Persist on St. Vincent.” Circle of Blue, 22 Apr. 2021, www.circleofblue.org/2021/wef/volcanic-eruptions-and-water-insecurity-persist-on-st-vincent/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2021.
“United Nations Launches $29 Million Appeal for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Other Affected Countries as Volcano Eruption Continues.” Www.unicef.org, www.unicef.org/lac/en/press-releases/united-nations-launches-29-million-appeal-st-vincent-and-grenadines.

Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Madelyn Sheridan

Maddy Sheridan
Royal Oak High School
UNDP
Delegate from Russia

2 billion people around the world don’t have access to basic sanitation and 884 million people don’t have access to safe drinking water as of 2019. If the world had proper water and sanitation 9% of global diseases could be prevented. Russia has enough water to supply its citizens with water but most of Russia’s citizens live far away from Russia’s biggest sources of freshwater as well as the networks for water desperately need renovation. Around one third of Russia’s water supply network needs to be replaced because they are made of steel but only 1.6 percent of the total supply networks that need to be replaced have been replaced as of 2015.
22 percent of Russia’s population do not have a centralized form of clean water. Russia’s waste water system is in such poor condition because of its poor financing. The poor conditions of Russia’s water supply networks amounts to around 60 percent of the water supplied to Russia’s water networks being lost through leakages. Though Russia wants to reduce its water leakage it doesn’t want to do so in an uneconomical way. They want to ensure that the money they save from reducing water waste is less than the cost of reducing further water leakages in their water supply network. One way, Russia plans to fix its water supply and waste filtration system is with its “The Clean Water of Russia” program. Some of the things this program aims to do is modernize the water system, protect water sources and develop regulations for water supply systems. It is important to mention that the politicians of Russia view water as a good that can be bought and sold although the “The Clean Water of Russia ” program doesn’t even mention this. The first thing Russia needs to do is find a way to finance their plans for improving access to clean water. Russia’s policy position is to modernize Russian water networks, insure that people use water responsibly, provide safe and clean drinking water to everyone in the city of Moscow and introduce new and up to date technologies to help with the treatment of water.

Country: Mexico
Delegate Name: Andrew Dylenski

Billions of people lack access to clean drinking water and sanitation. These are vital to human health and help contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Over the past century, global water use has increased by more than twice the rate of the population, causing heavy water shortages. Also, countries are facing many challenges connected to water scarcity, water pollution, and degraded water-related ecosystems such as busted pipes and dirty drinking water. These problems are caused by climate change and the lack of human involvement to keep track of water purity and safety. UNDP created a set of Sustainable Development goals which are a set of goals on target measures that the Un have agreed to pursue. Their goal is to achieve all 17 measures by 2030. The world is not able yet to solve SDG 6 the goal to improve access to water and sanitation for all or in 2020, SDG 6 was estimated that one in three people worldwide lacks the facilities with soap and water at home, leaving them vulnerable to COVID-19. There are nonprofits made to help achieve these goals. Children of the Nations is a non-profit organization that provides safe access to clean water. They also provide a (WASH Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) curriculum specific to each country they serve. All of these organizations are working to achieve a common goal showing up around the world. The UNDP must find a solution to the problem of bringing clean water and sanitation to these third-world countries.

Mexico is a country with lots of history regarding water and sanitation problems. In Mexico, more than 386,000 people lack access to clean water. In response to this issue, Mexico increased access to piped water and improved sanitation in both urban and rural areas. Mexico, in the 1980s did not get help from municipalities who got money from state governments causing problems with water and sanitation. But, in 1988 CONAGUA(National Water Commission) helped with these water and sanitation problems and made institutions on basins. The National Water Program was also created to fix these problems. Starting in 1889, Mexico and the U.S. started the Internation Boundary and Water Commission. The IBWC maintains the border and helps provide for water sanitation and flood control. This has helped greatly with the problem of water supply and sanitation for the people who were not at first able to get these needs. Other countries should adopt Mexico’s policies regarding water supply and sanitation towards people in need of it.

Access to water and sanitation services are needed in rural areas of the country where water pipes cannot reach or sanitation facilities are not available. Also, broken pipes are a huge problem across many countries and these would make it way harder for clean water to get to households for them to use. Mexico suggests the government cooperation with the World Water Council(WWC), the Internation Sanitary Supply Association(ISSA), and other organizations to spread awareness on this water and sanitation crisis and succeed in making policies providing municipalities or distribution services to help provide clean water to houses in need of it and deliver sanitation services. The government should also help provide purification plants to help get clean water so the distribution services can do their job. In the big cities, they should use rainwater harvesting, water storage facilities, or plants to really help utilize all this extra water that would just go back into the Earth anyways. Mexico will advocate for any resolution that uses government and organization cooperation to provide water and sanitation services and prudently save runoff water or extra water that can be used for this cause.

Country: Mexico
Delegate Name: Andrew Dylenski

Billions of people lack access to clean drinking water and sanitation. These are vital to human health and help contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Over the past century, global water use has increased by more than twice the rate of the population, causing heavy water shortages. Also, countries are facing many challenges connected to water scarcity, water pollution, and degraded water-related ecosystems such as busted pipes and dirty drinking water. These problems are caused by climate change and the lack of human involvement to keep track of water purity and safety. UNDP created a set of Sustainable Development goals which are a set of goals on target measures that the Un have agreed to pursue. Their goal is to achieve all 17 measures by 2030. The world is not able yet to solve SDG 6 the goal to improve access to water and sanitation for all or in 2020, SDG 6 was estimated that one in three people worldwide lacks the facilities with soap and water at home, leaving them vulnerable to COVID-19. There are nonprofits made to help achieve these goals. Children of the Nations is a non-profit organization that provides safe access to clean water. They also provide a (WASH Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) curriculum specific to each country they serve. All of these organizations are working to achieve a common goal showing up around the world. The UNDP must find a solution to the problem of bringing clean water and sanitation to these third-world countries.

Mexico is a country with lots of history regarding water and sanitation problems. In Mexico, more than 386,000 people lack access to clean water. In response to this issue, Mexico increased access to piped water and improved sanitation in both urban and rural areas. Mexico, in the 1980s did not get help from municipalities who got money from state governments causing problems with water and sanitation. But, in 1988 CONAGUA(National Water Commission) helped with these water and sanitation problems and made institutions on basins. The National Water Program was also created to fix these problems. Starting in 1889, Mexico and the U.S. started the Internation Boundary and Water Commission. The IBWC maintains the border and helps provide for water sanitation and flood control. This has helped greatly with the problem of water supply and sanitation for the people who were not at first able to get these needs. Other countries should adopt Mexico’s policies regarding water supply and sanitation towards people in need of it.

Access to water and sanitation services are needed in rural areas of the country where water pipes cannot reach or sanitation facilities are not available. Also, broken pipes are a huge problem across many countries and these would make it way harder for clean water to get to households for them to use. Mexico suggests the government cooperation with the World Water Council(WWC), the Internation Sanitary Supply Association(ISSA), and other organizations to spread awareness on this water and sanitation crisis and succeed in making policies providing municipalities or distribution services to help provide clean water to houses in need of it and deliver sanitation services. The government should also help provide purification plants to help get clean water so the distribution services can do their job. In the big cities, they should use rainwater harvesting, water storage facilities, or plants to really help utilize all this extra water that would just go back into the Earth anyways. Mexico will advocate for any resolution that uses government and organization cooperation to provide water and sanitation services and prudently save runoff water or extra water that can be used for this cause.

Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Carly Clos

Country: United Kingdom
Committee: UNDP
Topic: Access to Water and Sanitation
Delegate: Carly Clos
School: Williamston High School

SDG 6 goals include; increasing access to water and sanitation, decreasing water pollution, increasing water efficiency, and managing water-related ecosystems. Despite recent advancements, 2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, 3.6 billion can’t get access to decent sanitation, and 2.3 billion can’t get access to basic hygiene services in 2020. According to UN-Water, the rate of progression must double in order for the 107 nations that are now on track to reach SDG 6 by 2030. A lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation is connected to a variety of health issues. Other illnesses such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio can spread without clean water and proper sanitation in the midst of a worldwide pandemic where hand-washing is still suggested to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Poor wastewater management systems reduce economic productivity, whereas improved sanitation helps both the physical and economic health of communities. As a result, the UN must strive not only to provide more people with access to water, but also to secure access to water by enhancing water use efficiency and conserving water-based ecosystems.

The UK government has consistently prioritized expanding sanitation access and, following a review of international law in this area, has now declared sanitation as a human right under international law. At the Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting on April 20, the Secretary of State for International Development pledged to increase the UK’s targets for water, sanitation, and hygiene to reach at least 60 million people by 2015. The UK will assist partner governments in fulfilling their obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and we will strengthen the ability of people living in poverty in developing countries to assert their right to sanitation through programs that promote voice, transparency, and accountability. With its promises of cost reductions for businesses and a water delivery industry better suited to deal with floods, droughts, and population increase, the new Water Act 2014 has been easily accepted. The Water Act includes many provisions like: enabling developers and new water or sewage companies to connect new building developments to the water mains and sewerage system improving the regulations relating to the merger of water sewerage undertakers; improving the way water resource management and drought planning are managed; encouraging the use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) by clarifying that building and maintenance of SuDS can be a function of sewerage undertakers; reducing the bureaucracy relating to the governance of Internal Drainage Boards; transferring the responsibility for maintaining main river maps to the Environment Agency and the Natural Resources Body for Wales.

The UK believes that promoting the right to water will further our development aims. Many strides can be taken for the improvement of water sanitation; like; strengthening political and policy support for meeting the needs of the poorest; helping to make public institutions more accountable to the poor, including supporting improved access to information, where appropriate; building the capacity of those with duties to fulfil the right; supporting measures to tackle discrimination and social and cultural practices which exclude particular groups from accessing services; strengthening the legal and policy framework for accessing water; supporting public expenditure reviews and other analysis of budget allocation to ensure that water service provision is targeting poor people; supporting measures to raise awareness of the right to water; strengthening the capacity of poor and excluded groups to make claims through legal, political and social channels, including support for community advocacy and action. The UK is looking for countries that are involved with UNICEF to work with.

Sources:
https://glica.org/glimun-2021-conference/glimun-2021-committees/access-to-water-and-sanitation/
https://app.croneri.co.uk/feature-articles/water-act-2014
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-recognises-right-to-sanitation
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/36540/uk-position-human-right-water.pdf
https://data.unicef.org/country/gbr/

Country: Colombia
Delegate Name: Reese Bower

United Nations Development Program
Access to Water and Sanitation
The Republic of Columbia
Reese Bower
Forest Hills Eastern

With COVID 19 being a leading issue in Columbia and the world, access to water and sanitation are both more important than ever before. Additionally, COVID has caused large numbers of people to fall into poverty, with an estimated 88-115 million people expected to be pushed below the poverty line due to the pandemic, making it increasingly difficult to find clean water and sanitation. This can lead to a vicious cycle where poverty contributes to disease and disease instills poverty. Without sanitation and hygiene, viruses can spread unchecked and finances have to be spent on managing the effects of diseases instead of other vital issues. Although immediate action is necessary, the United Nations Development Program should work with other countries and focus on long-term solutions that will provide for each nation’s separate needs.

With a watershed critical to its biodiverse ecosystem, Columbia understands the importance of having clean and sustainable water sources. 73% of Columbia’s population uses a safely managed drinking water service. During the pandemic, Columbia has recognized the importance of clean water for handwashing, taking governmental actions to postpone bill payments up to 36 months for lower-income citizens, and reinstalling water services to citizens whose access had been suspended. According to UN-Water Global Analysis, 84% of the Colombian population has access to basic sanitation services. A prominent issue in Colombia is income inequality, which adds to the importance of clean water and sanitation. Colombia also has large rural indigenous populations that lack clean water and soap. The fast-growing population of Columbia could potentially hinder access to clean water and sanitation services, so it is imperative to put a plan in place for providing these basic necessities.

Due to the need for water and sanitation access in rural areas, Columbia suggests starting a program similar to the WASH initiative, which works to educate communities about hygiene issues, especially in schools. WASH has different branches which address education, clean water, sanitation, and climate change. This program not only provides relief but educates people about the issue and helps lower-income countries that lack financial resources to tackle this problem. Additionally, Colombia advises putting temporary sanitation centers in rural communities, as they account for most of those lacking sanitation.

Country: Viet Nam
Delegate Name: Olivia Bryan

Country: Viet Nam
Committee:UNDP(ECOSOC)
Topic: Access to Water and Sanitation
Delegate: Olivia Bryan
School: Williamston High School

The issue of access to water and sanitation has been a controversial topic for a long time. In 2017, over 785 million people were denied access to water services and more than 884 million lacked access to clean, drinkable water. Around 9% of global deaths of children under the age of 5 has been traced back to unclean drinking water and poor sanitation. Many programs have been put into place to combat this problem and as of 2020 over 74% of the global population has access to a safely managed water service system. The increase in the access to clean drinking water and sanitation throughout the world is significant. The United Nations needs to decide what actions should or should not be taken in regards to furthering our global water sanitation situation.

Vietnam’s interest in the issue of water safety and sanitation revolves mainly around the furthering of its efforts towards clean water and sanitation. As one of the countries affected, Vietnam strongly believes that better opportunities towards helping its people with this problem would be beneficial to its economy. Vietnam feels that this problem directly affects its people especially with the studies that have been done on stunted growth of children under the age of five in the country. Vietnam has already passed a decree on clean water production, supply, and consumption. As the fourth- largest producer of aquaculture products and with irrigation bringing livelihoods to around half of its workforce, Vietnam has interest in furthering its efforts to end this problem.

Vietnam would present as a solution joining a global organization with the intent of providing access to clean water and sanitation. Vietnam would also propose an effort to make this issue a leading policy in its government. Vietnam does not wish to impede on any country’s sovereignty. Vietnam believes that each individual country should be taking measures to help its own peoples. Vietnam anticipates finding allies in fellow aquaculture producing countries such as China and India as well as leaders in the efforts toward safe water and sanitation such as the U.S.

Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Isabella Frederick

2 billion people don’t have access to clean, drinkable water and 3.6 billion people don’t have safely managed sanitation. Lack of clean water and sanitation leads to health problems which is why it is important this issue is addressed. Pakistan recognizes that access to clean water is a growing concern. In 2009, Pakistan established the National Drinking Water Policy, working towards providing cheap water for everyone. Pakistan has also made actions to ensure that communities have safely managed sanitation by supplying them with sewage and wastewater treatment facilities. Pakistan is, however, still working towards creating accessible water and sanitation for its citizens.
Recently Pakistan established the Punjab Rural Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PRSWSSP), providing clean water and safe wastewater management at both community and household levels. PRSWSSP involves closer regulation on animal waste management as well as providing water-quality monitoring systems to ensure unsafe drinking water is not distributed. Keeping in mind this is a recent development, there isn’t much data regarding the outcome, however, Pakistan hopes this lowers child stunting caused by unsanitary environments and bacteria filled water. On a larger scale, the UN’s Human Rights to Water and Sanitation have a direct impact on Pakistan, creating a more sustainable lifestyle with a safe and sufficient water supply and overall better sanitation.
Pakistan feels it is very important to get these issues under control to ensure the safety and well being of its citizens. Pakistan plans to continue working on projects such as PRSWSSP. Pakistan would also like to work with various developing countries in hopes of dealing with lesser cost issues while providing citizens with well maintained and safe wastewater management systems as well as an affordable clean water supply.

Position Papers for GLIMUN 2021 will appear above this line, with the newest being at the top.