The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the acute lack of water and the unacceptable sanitary conditions in which large parts of the world‘s population have to live every day. Some 3 in 10 people worldwide still do not have safe access to clean drinking water. More than half of the global population cannot use acceptable toilets.
Even 10 years after its official recognition by the United Nations, the human right to water and sanitation is being violated billions of times. At the same time, conflicts over access to water are growing due to increasing overuse, privatization and pollution of water resources and the escalating climate crisis. Without a far-reaching change of course, half the world‘s population might suffer from water shortages by 2050.
What needs to happen to counter these developments worldwide? What impact does the human right to water have in this context? What responsibility does Germany bear, and what strategies does the German government intend to use to contribute to the global goal of making water and sanitation available to all people in sufficient quantities and in a sustainable manner by 2030? How can economic and ecological interests be reconciled with human needs?
This event is an initiative of the World Council of Churches, Brot für die Welt, FIAN, and Misereor.
When:
1 September 2020, 18:00 – 20:00 (CEST)
Panelists:
Léo Heller, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to water and sanitation
Gunther Beger, BMZ, Head of Directorate-General
Lê Phan Warnke, German Institute for Human Rights
Dinesh Suna, Ecumenical Water Network of World Council of Churches
Moderator:
Maike Gorsboth
The event is free of charge. A translation (German/English) will be provided. Please register with your full name and e-mail address at fian3@fian.de by 28 August. The access information to the event will be shared with registered guests.
The event is supported by the Forum Menschenrechte, the United Nations Association of Germany, the Forum Environment and Development, and the One World Net NRW.
Supported by ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL with funds from the BMZ, by the North Rhine-Westphalia Foundation for Environment and Development and by Bread for the World with funds from the Church Development Service.
