Topic: Ensuring Access to Potable Water
Country: Côte d’Ivoire
Delegate Name: Taylor Potter
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Côte d'Ivoire position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
71% of the earth is covered in water. 97% of that water is salty, and therefore undrinkable. Out of the 3% of drinkable water, 2% is unattainable or in glaciers. Potable water is a necessity to all living things. With the growing population clean accessible drinking water is becoming less and less available. According to UNICEF, over 783 million people in the world still do not have access to clean drinking water. Every day children die from dysentery and many others illness. The UNICEF, a national children's fund created by the UN, has had many efforts in Côte d'Ivoire. Such as, promoting the advocacy for the restoration of access to drinking water. As well as, contributing to the creation of the National Emergency Committee that tries to ensure access to drinking water. There are solutions to these agonizing issues.
Côte d'Ivoire has had numerous issues with drinking water, sanitation, and clean usable water for things like cooking, bathing, and farming. In recent years the Côte D'IVoire’s government, the UN, and other programs have done a lot to help this major topic. Like in 2007 the UN sponsored a program that helps build 956 latrines in schools, villages, and other communities. With the UN’s involvement over 700,000 people benefited, which is three percent, but we still need to do more. The European Union has also had an impact on this problem. They have created a board called the National Office for Potable Water or ONEP. This board has gone around the country helping small rural communities provide clean water. The EU and partners have also created a post-conflict program that helps in fighting this issue is an EU funded post-conflict program that has already donated 4.5 million dollars to the efforts in Côte d'Ivoire. 300,000 people will benefit from this program. Their priority being helping women and children get access to potable water The UN must work together with first world countries to help in other countries, as well as here in Côte D'Ivoire. Even though we have made great progress we have a great deal to still overcome, and that's why we believe it's a priority to ensure potable water for all.
There have been many efforts in the past to help ensure potable water for all, but we need to continue to finance to help provide access water and good sanitary latrines. This committee should address this major issue as well as make a plan to try and fix it. Along with that, there needs to be more access to tap water pumps for all villages and people. The UN needs to find public support to fund these projects around the world and in Côte d'Ivoire to make sure everyone has access to water and latrines. We need to find a way to fund and make long-term solutions to these problems in developing countries.
