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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

EU commitments on water as a human right and water for health

European Union (
Intergovernmental organization
)
#SDGAction50811
Description
Description

These are commitments of the European Union on water as a human right and water for health: 1. By 2030, the EU targets to support the access of 70 million individuals to an improved drinking water source and/or sanitation facility and commits to develop its work to mobilize the private sector with innovative financing under the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD+), to further increase its reach. 2. By 2030 and based on measures to be taken at Member State level, the EU aims to improve the access of all EU residents to safe drinking water, in particular for vulnerable and marginalised groups, including by identifying people with limited access to water, taking measures to facilitate their access to the distribution network or alternative means; and enhancing the availability of safe tap water for free or at low costs in public spaces. 3. By 2030, by virtue of a risk-based approach being established across its whole drinking water supply chain and updated quality standards, the EU commits to secure safe drinking water from the tap and safe products to be used in contact with drinking water across its territory. 4. The EU aims to improve the access of all EU residents to WASH (water and sanitation) facilities, in particular in addressing the needs of those in the most vulnerable situations. 5. The EU aims to support improving wastewater surveillance and monitoring systems for relevant key public health parameters and antimicrobial resistance and to: - coordinating the authorities’ network (at national and international level) and the development of a dashboard for exchanging of relevant information; - supporting EU Member States with €20 million funding to accelerate the deployment of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19, including the establishment of national systems, local collection points, and digital infrastructure for monitoring of SARS-CoV-2, with additional €3 million to neighbouring countries; - providing direct grants of €15 million to EU Member States’ authorities under the EU4Health Programme for 2023 to enhance, extend and consolidate wastewater surveillance for public health, supporting activities, to enhance and/or improve national public health wastewater surveillance capacities by strengthening knowledge exchange and sharing best practices, and also further facilitating the integration and complementarity of wastewater surveillance with other surveillance systems to strengthen preparedness and response to cross border health threats.

Expected Impact

N. 1: improved access of 70 million individuals to drinking water source and/or sanitation facility. N. 2-4: The measures will ensure: - a regulatory framework that guarantees that water intended for human consumption is safe and clean throughout the EU; - improved access to safe drinking water and/or sanitation facilities in EU; - prioritised investment in the maintenance and renewal of drinking water infrastructure in order to reduce water leakage; - ameliorated protection of human health using risk management. N.5: Grants available will improve wastewater surveillance capacities at national and EU level for preparedness and control of COVID-19, and antimicrobial resistance, and a better evidence based integration of this type of surveillance into other types of routine surveillance.

Partners

EU national governments European Investment Bank (EIB)

Goal 1

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 1

1.1

By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day

1.1.1

Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)

1.2

By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions

1.2.1

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age

1.2.2

Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions

1.3

Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable

1.3.1

Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims and the poor and the vulnerable

1.4

By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance

1.4.1

Proportion of population living in households with access to basic services

1.4.2

Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, (a) with legally recognized documentation, and (b) who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure

1.5

By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters

1.5.1

Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

1.5.2

Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP)

1.5.3

Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030

1.5.4

Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

1.a

Ensure significant mobilization of resources from a variety of sources, including through enhanced development cooperation, in order to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, to implement programmes and policies to end poverty in all its dimensions

1.a.1

Total official development assistance grants from all donors that focus on poverty reduction as a share of the recipient country's gross national income

1.a.2

Proportion of total government spending on essential services (education, health and social protection)

1.b

Create sound policy frameworks at the national, regional and international levels, based on pro-poor and gender-sensitive development strategies, to support accelerated investment in poverty eradication actions

1.b.1

Pro-poor public social spending

Goal 2

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 2

2.1

By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round

2.1.1

Prevalence of undernourishment

2.1.2

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)

2.2

By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons

2.2.1

Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age

2.2.2

Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)

2.2.3

Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)

2.3

By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
2.3.1

Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size

2.3.2

Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status

2.4

By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality

2.4.1

Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture

2.5

By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed

2.5.1

Number of (a) plant and (b) animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities

2.5.2

Proportion of local breeds classified as being at risk of extinction

2.a

Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
2.a.1

The agriculture orientation index for government expenditures

2.a.2

Total official flows (official development assistance plus other official flows) to the agriculture sector

2.b

Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round

2.b.1

Agricultural export subsidies

2.c

Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility

2.c.1

Indicator of food price anomalies

Goal 3

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 3

3.1

By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
3.1.1

Maternal mortality ratio

3.1.2

Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel

3.2

By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births
3.2.1

Under-five mortality rate

3.2.2

Neonatal mortality rate

3.3

By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases

3.3.1

Number of new HIV infections per 1,000 uninfected population, by sex, age and key populations

3.3.2

Tuberculosis incidence per 100,000 population

3.3.3

Malaria incidence per 1,000 population

3.3.4

Hepatitis B incidence per 100,000 population

3.3.5

Number of people requiring interventions against neglected tropical diseases

3.4

By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
3.4.1

Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease

3.4.2

Suicide mortality rate

3.5

Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol

3.5.1

Coverage of treatment interventions (pharmacological, psychosocial and rehabilitation and aftercare services) for substance use disorders

3.5.2

Alcohol per capita consumption (aged 15 years and older) within a calendar year in litres of pure alcohol

3.6

By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents
3.6.1

Death rate due to road traffic injuries

3.7

By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes

3.7.1

Proportion of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods

3.7.2

Adolescent birth rate (aged 10-14 years; aged 15-19 years) per 1,000 women in that age group

3.8

Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all

3.8.1

Coverage of essential health services

3.8.2

Proportion of population with large household expenditures on health as a share of total household expenditure or income

3.9

By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
3.9.1

Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution

3.9.2

Mortality rate attributed to unsafe water, unsafe sanitation and lack of hygiene (exposure to unsafe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All (WASH) services)

3.9.3

Mortality rate attributed to unintentional poisoning

3.a

Strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate
3.a.1

Age-standardized prevalence of current tobacco use among persons aged 15 years and older

3.b

Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all

3.b.1

Proportion of the target population covered by all vaccines included in their national programme

3.b.2
Total net official development assistance to medical research and basic health sectors
3.b.3

Proportion of health facilities that have a core set of relevant essential medicines available and affordable on a sustainable basis

3.c

Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States
3.c.1

Health worker density and distribution

3.d

Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks

3.d.1

International Health Regulations (IHR) capacity and health emergency preparedness

3.d.2

Percentage of bloodstream infections due to selected antimicrobial-resistant organisms

Goal 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 5

5.1

End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere

5.1.1

Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce and monitor equality and non‑discrimination on the basis of sex

5.2

Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation
5.2.1

Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age

5.2.2

Proportion of women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by age and place of occurrence

5.3

Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation
5.3.1

Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18

5.3.2

Proportion of girls and women aged 15-49 years who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting, by age

5.4

Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate

5.4.1

Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age and location

5.5

Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life

5.5.1

Proportion of seats held by women in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments

5.5.2

Proportion of women in managerial positions

5.6

Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences

5.6.1

Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive health care

5.6.2

Number of countries with laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education

5.a

Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws

5.a.1

(a) Proportion of total agricultural population with ownership or secure rights over agricultural land, by sex; and (b) share of women among owners or rights-bearers of agricultural land, by type of tenure

5.a.2

Proportion of countries where the legal framework (including customary law) guarantees women’s equal rights to land ownership and/or control

5.b

Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
5.b.1

Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex

5.c

Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels

5.c.1

Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment

Goal 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 6

6.1

By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

6.1.1

Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services

6.2

By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

6.2.1

Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water

6.3

By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

6.3.1

Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated

6.3.2

Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

6.4

By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
6.4.1

Change in water-use efficiency over time

6.4.2

Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

6.5

By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

6.5.1

Degree of integrated water resources management 

6.5.2

Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation

6.6

By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
6.6.1

Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time

6.a

By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
6.a.1

Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan

6.b

Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

6.b.1

Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management

Name Description

Improved access to drinking water source and/or sanitation facilities

Improved access to safe drinking water in EU

Risk-based approach to water supply chain established in EU; provision of safe drinking water from the tap in EU

Wastewater surveillance authorities network, information dashboard; improved wastewater surveillance infrastructure and capacity in EU Member States

Financing (in USD)
Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe)
Other, please specify
EU regulatory framework
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Timeline
14 March 2023 (start date)
31 December 2030 (date of completion)
Entity
European Union
SDGs
1 2 3 5 6
Region
  1. Europe
  2. Global
Other beneficiaries

- 70 million individuals worldwide - For regulatory framework and financing in EU Member States: all EU residents including vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Countries
European Commission
European Commission
Contact Information

Mr. Arnaud de Vanssay

INTPA-F2-Water-Sector@ec.europa.eu