Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Josh Cho
School: Cranbrook Kingswood
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All United Kingdom position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
Water is one of the necessities that are often overlooked by non-governmental organizations. This aggravates the situation in Africa, where there is often a lack of clean water for the general public. Water is a huge factor for success in a country, as without water, the country’s economic success is limited to the large monopolies. With access to clean water, the mortality rate for the sick and young will decrease dramatically and the country will be able to develop structurally. In the United Kingdom, we have one of the best water systems in Europe. More than 97% of our tap water goes through sanitation systems, where we cleanse the water of harmful bacteria and other foreign objects.
We, the United Kingdom, realize that other countries are in need, and that they are in need of serious aid. Several NGOs (Non-governmental organizations), such as Bread and Water for Africa, are already taking action in countries like Kenya by providing pumps that give access to clean water in populated villages. The United Kingdom encourages any development of NGOs to help out the cause for clean water in Africa and also encourages other sources such as the World Health Organization and the United States to help seek clean water for the African nations.
The importance of having a reliable, clean source of water is immense. Polluted water can cause diseases such as E. Coli poisoning, Dysentery and Cholera, which are rather rare in countries where clean water is widely available. With the introduction of clean water, fewer children will have to haul water home from far away and therefore be able to attend school. In order to promote growth and prosperity in the African nations, access to clean water, is a must.
