Clean Water for a Healthy World

Following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the General Assembly declared 22 March of each year as World Water Day (WWD). The theme of World Water Day 2010 is Clean Water for a Healthy World, and aims to raise awareness of water quality at a political level so that changes in both the quality and quantity of water will be made. The devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile have brought the availability of clean water for drinking as well as for sanitation and health to the front of the world’s consciousness.

The official World Water Day website has an elaborate WWD events calendar to which you can add your own events, an interactive world map of events, a 6-page official WWD 2010 brochure, an WWD Advocacy Guide, and various WWD campaign materials such as posters, desktop wall paper, videos, etc.

Additional information about UN initiatives on water can be found at:

•    the web site of UN Water, which is made up of UN agencies, programs and funds that play a significant role in addressing water concerns around the world.
•    the web site of the International Decade for Action “Water for Life, 2005-2015”, which aims to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water-related issues. Examples of these commitments are the water-related goals of the Millennium Declaration (Millennium Development Goals) and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit for Sustainable Development.

Carolina Cordon-Bouzan, intern
Cecile Meijer, rscj
NGO Office, March 2010