UNICEF
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR United Nations Children's Fund 'elepnone 212 326 7035
hree United Nations Flaza Facsimile 212 326 7758
tiew Ynrk . >1 ew York, '0010
www.unicef .or g
Check Against Delivery
STATEMENT BY CAROL BELLAMY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S
FUND
TO THE HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT OF THE COMMISSION
ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: `RESPONDING TO
CHALLENGES'
New York - 29 April 2004
Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen :
On behalf of UNICEF, I thank you for this opportunity to address the Commission - and to
highlight the critically important links between water and sanitation in the implementation
of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) .
Mr. Chairman, UNICEF fully supports the Commission's efforts to reach the MDG targets
for safe drinking water and basic sanitation .
Indeed, our proven 40-year record of water, environment and sanitation programmes
throughout the developing world has made UNICEF is a key agency in the drive to develop
, :capacity-building all the way down to the community level .
The subject is especially relevant now because this is the first year of a two-year cycle
during which we will be evaluating progress toward the sustainable development
commitments reflected in Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and
relevant sessions of the Commission on Sustainable Development .
In that connection, let me highlight three areas of concern that will require far more
attention if we are to reach the Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation -
as well as hasten the implementation of the goals for poverty reduction,
under-5 mortality and education .
First: we must ensure that sanitation is given equal importance to water resources in
sector efforts to achieve the MDGs.
Diarrhoeal diseases currently kill some 2 million young children a year . That is a far cry
from the 4 .6 million under-5 children killed by diarrhoea in 1982 - but these are all
needless, wholly preventable deaths arising from poor sanitation and unhygienic
behaviours . And despite the overall decline in mortality from diarrhoeal disease, the overall
health burden of morbidity has not decreased - water- and sanitation-related disease and
infections leave millions of children malnourished, physically stunted and mentally
retarded or blind.
1
That is why UNICEF is committed to working closely with its partners in Asia and Africa
to meet the demand for low cost, sustainable sanitation projects .
The challenge we face is formidable . In 1990, half the world's population, about 2 .6 billion
people, lacked access to sanitation . New estimates from WHO and UNICEF indicate that
today, while the percentage of men, women and children who still lack access to basic
sanitary facilities has been slightly reduced, almost as many people are still without basic
sanitation. And if current trends hold, by 2015, one-third of the world's population will lack
basic sanitation.
Second: we must ensure that primary schools provide safe drinking water and basic
sanitation services.
Quality basic education, particularly the education of girls, is an essential prerequisite of
any global anti-poverty strategy because it produces people who can contribute to the
economic and social development necessary to eradicate poverty .
That is why a major focus of UNICEF is on achieving quality basic education, especially
for girls and women, as a central requirement for ensuring their empowerment and
advancement.
But worldwide, far too many schools lack hygienic conditions - and girls trying to secure
their right to a basic quality education are often the most affected . Moreover, the same
conditions can also threaten school children with common infections like diarrhoea and
worms.
UNICEF and its partners have responded by supporting the improvement of water and
sanitation facilities at primary schools . In the past five years we have quadrupled the
number of countries where we are supporting hygiene improvement programmes to more
than 70 . And we have found that the central role of schools within communities also
presents opportunities to inspire wider community action to accelerate sanitation coverage .
Let me add, Mr. Chairman, that UNICEF welcomes the outcome of the 13`h Meeting of the
Roundtable on Sustainable Development held at OECD last month, requested by Minister
Brende to focus on CSD 12, where a strong argument was made for involving schools in
teaching basic sanitation practices and ensuring that funds for water and sanitation facilities
are a top priority.
The third and last area of concern is the growing number and severity of humanitarian
crisis situations .
Emergencies and situations of instability that threaten the rights of children are more and
more frequent in many regions of the world . And when emergencies hit, UNICEF is
quickly on the ground, delivering water and sanitation services to people displaced by
natural disasters, forced immigration and armed conflict .
Our Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies prioritise water availability for
drinking and hygiene, water purification, the provision of soap for hand washing, and
support for the installation of emergency sanitary facilities .
UNICEF's water and sanitation programmes seek to build local capacities to respond in
emergencies. For example, in both Mozambique and Bangladesh, where floods are
frequent, preparedness at provincial level includes the pre-positioning of critical water
pumping equipment and water purification supplies, as well as latrine materials .
Let me conclude, Mr Chairman, by assuring the Commission that UNICEF is committed to
working with its partners to ensure that, prior to next year's CSD 13, concrete steps are
taken to accelerate progress toward the water and sanitation targets . There is no more direct
way to improve the lives of hundreds of millions of impoverished children .
Thank you.
hree United Nations Flaza Facsimile 212 326 7758
tiew Ynrk . >1 ew York, '0010
www.unicef .or g
Check Against Delivery
STATEMENT BY CAROL BELLAMY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S
FUND
TO THE HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT OF THE COMMISSION
ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: `RESPONDING TO
CHALLENGES'
New York - 29 April 2004
Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen :
On behalf of UNICEF, I thank you for this opportunity to address the Commission - and to
highlight the critically important links between water and sanitation in the implementation
of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) .
Mr. Chairman, UNICEF fully supports the Commission's efforts to reach the MDG targets
for safe drinking water and basic sanitation .
Indeed, our proven 40-year record of water, environment and sanitation programmes
throughout the developing world has made UNICEF is a key agency in the drive to develop
, :capacity-building all the way down to the community level .
The subject is especially relevant now because this is the first year of a two-year cycle
during which we will be evaluating progress toward the sustainable development
commitments reflected in Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and
relevant sessions of the Commission on Sustainable Development .
In that connection, let me highlight three areas of concern that will require far more
attention if we are to reach the Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation -
as well as hasten the implementation of the goals for poverty reduction,
under-5 mortality and education .
First: we must ensure that sanitation is given equal importance to water resources in
sector efforts to achieve the MDGs.
Diarrhoeal diseases currently kill some 2 million young children a year . That is a far cry
from the 4 .6 million under-5 children killed by diarrhoea in 1982 - but these are all
needless, wholly preventable deaths arising from poor sanitation and unhygienic
behaviours . And despite the overall decline in mortality from diarrhoeal disease, the overall
health burden of morbidity has not decreased - water- and sanitation-related disease and
infections leave millions of children malnourished, physically stunted and mentally
retarded or blind.
1
That is why UNICEF is committed to working closely with its partners in Asia and Africa
to meet the demand for low cost, sustainable sanitation projects .
The challenge we face is formidable . In 1990, half the world's population, about 2 .6 billion
people, lacked access to sanitation . New estimates from WHO and UNICEF indicate that
today, while the percentage of men, women and children who still lack access to basic
sanitary facilities has been slightly reduced, almost as many people are still without basic
sanitation. And if current trends hold, by 2015, one-third of the world's population will lack
basic sanitation.
Second: we must ensure that primary schools provide safe drinking water and basic
sanitation services.
Quality basic education, particularly the education of girls, is an essential prerequisite of
any global anti-poverty strategy because it produces people who can contribute to the
economic and social development necessary to eradicate poverty .
That is why a major focus of UNICEF is on achieving quality basic education, especially
for girls and women, as a central requirement for ensuring their empowerment and
advancement.
But worldwide, far too many schools lack hygienic conditions - and girls trying to secure
their right to a basic quality education are often the most affected . Moreover, the same
conditions can also threaten school children with common infections like diarrhoea and
worms.
UNICEF and its partners have responded by supporting the improvement of water and
sanitation facilities at primary schools . In the past five years we have quadrupled the
number of countries where we are supporting hygiene improvement programmes to more
than 70 . And we have found that the central role of schools within communities also
presents opportunities to inspire wider community action to accelerate sanitation coverage .
Let me add, Mr. Chairman, that UNICEF welcomes the outcome of the 13`h Meeting of the
Roundtable on Sustainable Development held at OECD last month, requested by Minister
Brende to focus on CSD 12, where a strong argument was made for involving schools in
teaching basic sanitation practices and ensuring that funds for water and sanitation facilities
are a top priority.
The third and last area of concern is the growing number and severity of humanitarian
crisis situations .
Emergencies and situations of instability that threaten the rights of children are more and
more frequent in many regions of the world . And when emergencies hit, UNICEF is
quickly on the ground, delivering water and sanitation services to people displaced by
natural disasters, forced immigration and armed conflict .
Our Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies prioritise water availability for
drinking and hygiene, water purification, the provision of soap for hand washing, and
support for the installation of emergency sanitary facilities .
UNICEF's water and sanitation programmes seek to build local capacities to respond in
emergencies. For example, in both Mozambique and Bangladesh, where floods are
frequent, preparedness at provincial level includes the pre-positioning of critical water
pumping equipment and water purification supplies, as well as latrine materials .
Let me conclude, Mr Chairman, by assuring the Commission that UNICEF is committed to
working with its partners to ensure that, prior to next year's CSD 13, concrete steps are
taken to accelerate progress toward the water and sanitation targets . There is no more direct
way to improve the lives of hundreds of millions of impoverished children .
Thank you.
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