Water at the Core of Local Governments Preoccupations

The International Water Day celebrated every 22^nd March of each year is seen as an opportunity to remind the public of the vitality of this rarefied resource. Aware of this reality, Local Governments reaffirm, via United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), that access of the populations to water is one of their major priorities.

UCLG recalls that, back in 2004, the Final Declaration of the Founding Congress of UCLG stated that:

“Access to water, in sufficient quantity and quality and at an affordable rate, should be a guaranteed human right for all, by using, if necessary, social measures or appropriate solidarity mechanisms for disadvantaged populations.”

However, over ten years later, the most vulnerable populations still do not have access to clean water and deaths related to health risks linked to a lack of safe water amount to millions of people each year. Facing this serious situation, Local and Regional Governments must mobilize in order to find suitable solutions.

In this perspective, UCLG co-organizes 4^th International Conference of Local and Regional Authorities, to be held during the Forum, from 13 to 14 April 2015 in Gyongju, South Korea. This conference is in line with the upcoming World Water Forum, which is taking place on 12 to 17 April 2015. Local and Regional Governments will focus on the implementation of the Istanbul Water Consensus and on strategies and tools proposals.

An Implementation Strategy for Sustainable Water and Sanitation will be endorsed as a political declaration of the World Water Forum. The commitment of local and regional authorities will be indispensable in scaling up progress in sustainable water management.

You can get more details here.