“I appreciate this opportunity to discuss the overarching global challenge of sustainable development – and how we can bring all partners together to advance this cause,”Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his remarks at the UN Headquarters in New York entitled ‘Partnering for Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development.’

The special ECOSOC event is organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Office for Partnerships, the UN Global Compact and the Global Partnerships Forum.

The event brought together these bodies as well as Member States, the private sector, foundations and civil society to boost efforts towards reaching the MDGs by the target deadline and to promote thinking on the post-2015 sustainable development agenda.

“Technological learning and innovation capacity is critical to enable the provision of essential amenities to all and is therefore fundamental to ensuring overall sustainable development,” Néstor Osorio, president of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said in his opening remarks.

“The absence of such capabilities results in limitations to application of existing technologies in all sectors, including those of public importance such as health, education, agriculture and climate change, to name but a few,” Mr. Osorio continued.

He noted that the messages emerging in today’s meeting dovetail with the key outcomes of yesterday’s ECOSOC Development Cooperation Forum special policy dialogue on private philanthropic foundations in the post-2015 setting.

“To achieve robust development results in future, a renewed global partnership for development must embrace diversity and recognize the roles of all stakeholders, including those of philanthropic organizations,” Mr. Osorio said to that group.

Today’s event features policy dialogues held in the morning and “partnerships clinics” in the afternoon focusing on potential solutions to development challenges facing Africa, as well as a keynote address from Mo Ibrahim, Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation which awards a prize for good governance and leadership in Africa.

Given the importance of partnerships in the UN’s work, Mr. Ban announced today that he will propose the creation of a new UN Partnership Facility “to capture the full potential for partnership.”

“The Facility would help us deliver at scale – globally and at country level– across the range of UN mandates, goals and values,” Mr. Ban said. He added that the UN agencies, funds, programs and departments would continue to conduct the majority of related activities, but the Facility would strategically and systematically fill in any gaps, as well as build and strengthen partnership services.

The recommendations from today’s events will be presented to ECOSOC’s high-level ministerial meeting in July.

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Photo: ECOSOC discusses ‘Partnering for Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development.’ UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

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“Human rights are part of the DNA of the United Nations and the birthright of every human being. Every member of the human family has a right to grow and develop their full potential in a secure and sustainable environment,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his remarks to the panel, held at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

“As we know from long experience,” he stated, “peace, development and human rights are inextricably linked. Human rights are essential for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and advancing sustainable development.”

The eight MDGs, agreed at a UN summit in 2000, set specific targets on poverty alleviation, education, gender equality, child and maternal health, environmental stability, HIV/AIDS reduction, and a ‘Global Partnership for Development.’

Last year, Mr. Ban established a senior-level UN System Task Team on the post-2015 agenda. The Team recommended that the post-2015 agenda be built on three fundamental principles: human rights, equality and sustainability.

This September, the President of the General Assembly will convene a special event on the MDGs to assess progress, as well as identify remaining gaps and challenges ahead.

“I call on all Member States to embrace this opportunity and I urge all stakeholders to ensure that international human rights standards and principles help guide our post-2015 goals and objectives,” said Mr. Ban.

The largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system urged the international community to focus on social protections in the post-2015 agenda and proposed a specific goal on equality.

“The MDGs have remained silent regarding inequalities,” the group warned in a news release, pointing to human rights, equality and non-discrimination, and sustainability to be the focus of the post-2015 development agenda.

“As we approach the 2015 deadline for the realization of the MDGs, the international community must cement the gains achieved, build on the lessons learned and aim higher and be more ambitious,” Michel Forst said on behalf of the group of 72 independent experts charged by the Council with addressing specific country situations and thematic issues.

Addressing the high-level panel, Mr. Forst noted that 870 million people today are hungry “not because of insufficient food production, but because they suffer from insufficient social protection.”

He stressed that equality supports economic development and ensures sustainable growth, contrary to what he said was the prevailing view that it reduces efficiency and hinders growth.

“We will need to address inequality once and for all as it constitutes one of the most persistent challenges that prevent millions of people from living a life in dignity. We must aim for justice for all; those without a voice do not need charity,” Mr. Forst said.

He added that the post-2015 development agenda should include “a stand-alone goal on equality in order to foster more inclusive forms of development.”

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Photo: MDG 8: a global partnership for development

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“Empowerment is critical to poverty eradication and to development,” said the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo. “Indeed, I would even say that any long-term solution to poverty must start with empowerment.”

According to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report on promoting people’s empowerment, nearly 80 per cent of the world’s population is without adequate access to social protection, leaving those living in poverty feeling powerless to improve their position.

The report, “Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all” also states that while more than 600 million people have overcome poverty since 1990, 1 billion people will still be struggling to reach that goal by the 2015 deadline year for attaining the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In addition, the economic crisis and high fuel prices have slowed the rate of poverty reduction and increased unemployment rates, which also lead to social unrest. Globally, 200 million people were unemployed at the end of 2011, an increase of 27 million jobless persons since 2007, and 621 million young people are neither in employment, school or training nor looking for work.

“These are not mere statistics, but are lives affected, livelihoods lost and opportunities missed,” Mr. Wu said, urging the Commission to come up with concrete measures and actions for combating unemployment and empowering vulnerable populations.

To better understand how to promote empowerment and integrate it into the development agenda, participants at the Commission’s session will hear from experts leading discussions on this topic, as well as focusing on the elderly, youth, and people with disabilities.

The session will also include more than 30 side events and consideration of five resolutions as well as recommendations by the Civil Society Forum on promoting the empowerment of people to achieve social development goals.

Speaking at the Commission’s opening meeting, the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Néstor Osorio, said that without adequate policies and mechanisms, social tensions increase and erode social cohesion, which is essential for promoting development.

Mr. Osorio also underlined the potential of information and communications technology to empower people in rural areas or disadvantaged communities by giving them access to knowledge.

“These tools will allow people to have their voices hear and increase their visibility,” Mr. Osorio said, noting that this would be one of the aspects explored during panel discussions in the next few days.

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UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

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“I see Africa on the rise. I welcome great progress on development, good governance and human rights,” Mr. Ban told correspondents on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Ethiopia, during a day devoted to security in the Great Lakes, malaria, poverty and a gamut of other issues.

“We have 1,000 days to reach our Millennium Development Goals,” Mr. Ban said of the time remaining until the 2015 deadline for the program to slash extreme poverty and a raft of other global ills. “Now is the time to finish the job by accelerating progress,” he urged.

Affirming the UN’s continued commitment to support those efforts, he added: “The United Nations has been Africa’s strongest partner throughout this half century. We are firmly committed to standing with Africa now in the future.”

Mr. Ban said that he had “very successful” meetings today on malaria and yesterday on maternal and child health, recalling that this week also saw the launch of an initiative to help Africa train and deploy a million community health workers by 2015.

“We are working for a future where virtually all African mothers survive childbirth and raise their HIV-free babies into healthy adults,” he said.

He also called on African leaders to join in ending the silence and denial surrounding sexual violence in conflict. “I call on African leaders to join me in raising our voices on behalf of victims. They need our unrelenting advocacy,” he said.

He added that women must play a significant role in peace-building in conflict societies. “The African Union took an historic step when it appointed its first female Chairperson,” he said, congratulating Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa on her appointment.

Commenting on a range of African conflict situations, Mr. Ban welcomed what he called the “decisive action” of the French Government in Mali and pledged the UN’s readiness to undertake a “major, system-wide effort” for peace-building, governance, security sector reform, physical reconstruction and regional cooperation for the Sahelian country.

While in Addis, Mr. Ban met with some 20 national leaders. In a meeting today with Boni Yayi, President of Benin, he commended Mr. Yayi on his accomplishments as outgoing President of the AU and discussed regional initiatives to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, according to information provided by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that in his meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Secretary-General welcomed progress in the country and discussed the future of the UN presence there, encouraging the Government to strengthen its political authority throughout its territory.

With the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, he commended efforts to find a durable solution to the crisis in the east of the country, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to address remaining challenges. He also discussed the situation in the Great Lakes region with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in separate meetings.

The Secretary-General noted that leaders had planned to sign a political framework on the DRC earlier today. There were no fundamental differences over the content of the framework, but some procedural issues did arise, and the Secretary-General said that the parties have agreed to postpone the signing.

Also, Mr. Ban and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete discussed issues in Madagascar and Zimbabwe, in light of the security leadership role the country is currently playing in the South African Development Community (SADC), the spokesperson said.

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UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

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This year’s theme Getting to Zero focuses on the Millennium Development Goal to halt and begin to reverse the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2015. A new Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) report shows that unprecedented acceleration in the AIDS response is producing results for people. The report notes that there has been more than a 50 percent decrease in new HIV infections across 25 countries.

Women and children are the primary focus of this year’s Worlds AIDS Day. According to UNICEF, AIDS remains a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age globally and the main cause of child mortality in countries with high HIV prevalence. The good news is, according to the UNAIDS report, the area where the most progress is being made is in reducing new HIV infections in children. Half of the global reductions in new HIV infections in the last two years have been among newborn children.

The UNAIDS report also shows that antiretroviral therapy has emerged as a powerful force for saving lives. In the last 24 months, the number of people accessing treatment has increased by 63 percent globally. The report further noted that ending the pandemic was now “entirely feasible” and achieving an AIDS-free generation is possible.

Further noted in the UNAIDS report, worldwide some 34 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2011. Deaths from AIDS fell to 1.7 million in 2011, down from a peak of 2.3 million in 2005 and from 1.8 million in 2010.

“We must make information, testing and treatment available to all, so every man, woman and child can enjoy their fundamental right to the medical care and essential services that will end this devastating epidemic,” said Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General in a statement observing World AIDS Day.

The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, launched by former President George W. Bush in 2003, has been a catalyst for advancing HIV treatment, particularly in Africa.

The Salesian Missions “Life Choices” program targets youth ages 10 to 19 with core messages of abstinence and be faithful to prevent HIV infection. The program also benefits youth by employing a multipronged approach to HIV/AIDS prevention. This approach not only offers youth health education on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, but also offers life skills training, parental/teacher/community support, recreational activities, sports, youth camps, counseling, and job placement.

To mark World AIDS Day, the Salesian Missions Office of International Programs is highlighting some of the successful PEPFAR programs:

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to more than four million orphans, or 12 percent of all children.  More than half a million of these were orphaned as a result of AIDS, according to UNICEF. The Salesian Missions “CARING Orphans and Vulnerable Children” project helps to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. The program increases access to youth orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, and provides holistic care, community reintegration, and support for 60,000 orphans, street youth and children who have been made vulnerable due to HIV/AIDS. To date, more than 13,000 orphans and vulnerable children have received services ranging from shelter and care, formal education, non-formal education and economic empowerment activities.

Kenya

In Kenya, peer education is an effective tool for reaching youth with key disease prevention messages. The Salesian Missions “Life Choices” program in Kenya focuses on abstinence and faithfulness. Gender is also an important component, and programs include a focus on sexual violence. The program extends to youth centers, schools, orphans and vulnerable children centers and in community/social outreach programs. More than 40,000 youth have learned about HIV/AIDS prevention through the program.

South Africa

South Africa is the country hardest hit by HIV/AIDS worldwide, according to UNICEF. The “Life Choices” program here is based in schools from grades 4-12. An important component is voluntary counseling and testing as an effective method of preventing new infections. In addition, the program offers one-on-one mentoring, career and guidance counseling, parental skills workshops and teacher sensitivity.

Tanzania

In Tanzania, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is nearly nine percent. The virus has orphaned nearly a million children and forced others to assume household responsibilities beyond their years, according to UNICEF. To help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, students in 79 schools across Tanzania take part in the “Life Choices” program, as part of the U.S. PEPFAR program through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Of the 79 schools, 47 are primary, 23 are secondary and 9 are vocational training centers.

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Sources:

UN – World AIDS Day

UNICEF – In Zimbabwe, village health workers play an essential role in the primary healthcare system and the fight against HIV/AIDS

Salesian Missions – Our work

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The meeting between the Secretary-General and the President of Tunisia, Moncef Marzouki, saw the two men discuss the North African nation’s constitution-making process and women’s empowerment, as well as the President’s efforts to promote economic recovery and regional integration within the Arab Maghreb Union. They also discussed the impact of recent attacks in Tunisia by extremists.

Libya’s democratic transformation process, as well as the security situation in the country following the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, was a topic for discussion in the Secretary-General’s meeting with President of the General National Congress of Libya, Mohamed Yousef El-Magariaf.

They also discussed continued cooperation with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and they agreed on the importance of the Alliance of Civilizations, especially in light of the recent intolerance and violence. Mr. Ban also underlined the need for a comprehensive review of the status of conflict-related detainees, and both men agreed on the need for human rights and due process to be respected.

Senegal’s long-running conflict in its southern Casamance region, as well as the latest developments regarding the prosecution of former Chadian Head of State Hissennè Habré, were covered in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the African country’s President Macky Sall.

They also exchanged views on the situation in Guinea-Bissau, Mali and the Sahel region, and on ways for the international community to support the region in addressing these crises. In addition, they discussed the importance of international partnerships to try to alleviate the problems resulting from global climate change, as well as drought in the Sahel.

The situation in Mali was also discussed in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Burkina Faso, Djibrill Yipènè Bassolé. In addition, they discussed the upcoming electoral process in Burkina Faso and exchanged views on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire.

In his meeting with the President of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the Secretary-General welcomed the African leader’s efforts to engage in national dialogue with opposition parties and encouraged him to work towards the creation of a more conducive environment for the conduct of legislative elections.

Mr. Ban and the President also discussed Togo’s efforts towards the achievement of the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the areas of education and agriculture. The UN chief underscored the importance of Africa’s constant efforts towards enhanced regional unity, coordination and cooperation for peace and sustainable development – and he urged Togo to continue to play a leading role in this regard.

Meeting with the Vice-President of South Sudan, Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, the Secretary-General commended the Government, and its President Salva Kiir in particular, for reaching agreements with the Government of Sudan on post-secession issues at a meeting in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa earlier this week. The two men also discussed the current situation in South Sudan, particularly in the state of Jonglei.

Meeting with Burundi’s First Vice-President, Therence Sinunguruza, the Secretary-General thanked the African country for its contribution to peace in Somalia and welcomed its readiness to participate in peacekeeping efforts.

They also discussed the human rights situation and peace consolidation efforts in Burundi, including the establishment of the truth and reconciliation commission and preparations for the next elections.

In their meeting, the Secretary-General and the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria, Michael Spindelegger, discussed a range of issues of mutual interest, including the Western Balkans, the Alliance of Civilizations and its upcoming Annual Forum to be held in Vienna in February 2013, and efforts to reform the UN Secretariat.

The two men also agreed that it is essential for the international community to pursue mutual understanding, tolerance and cooperation through cross-cultural dialogue.

The situations in Syria and Afghanistan were among the topics discussed in the meeting between the Secretary-General and Sweden’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Bildt.

They agreed on the gravity of the situation in Syria, and the urgent need to find a solution and to address the humanitarian crisis there. Concerning Afghanistan, they discussed the upcoming elections and the importance of ensuring continued and long-term international commitment to support the Afghan people towards national reconciliation and stability.

The Secretary-General exchanged views on developments in the Western Balkans in his meeting with Slovenia’s Prime Minister, Janez Janša. They also discussed issues relating to the principle known as the responsibility to protect, and the involvement and participation of civil society in this context, in addition to discussing the situation in Syria.

Malta’s role as a strong advocate for tackling climate change, as well as its contributions to international efforts to combat piracy, was discussed in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Mediterranean nation’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Tonio Borg,

They also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and Malta’s strategic role as “a bridge between North and South,” in addition to discussing the immigration and refugee issue in the Mediterranean region. The Secretary-General commended Malta’s efforts in this regard and recalled the importance of upholding the human rights of those affected.

The President of Albania, Bujar Nishani, emphasized his country’s commitment to UN principles and actions – especially regarding human rights, women’s empowerment and peacekeeping – in his meeting with the Secretary-General.

They discussed developments in Albania and UN-Albanian cooperation, and Mr. Ban thanked Albania for its support in piloting the UN’s Delivering as One initiative. They also exchanged views on progress in the areas of peace and stability in the region.

In the meeting between the Secretary-General and San Marino’s Minister for Foreign and Political Affairs, Antonella Mularoni, the two discussed the political and economic situation in the small landlocked nation and in Europe, with Mr. Ban thanking San Marino for its continuing support to the UN.

The Secretary-General discussed regional cooperation – particularly the need to find a mutually acceptable solution to the region’s water and energy challenges – in a meeting with Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov.

The two men also recognized the useful role of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and its head.

Uruguay’s presidency of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council and its participation in UN peacekeeping operations were discussed in the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Latin American country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Luis Almagro. Other topics discussed included the implementation of the Delivering as One programme in Uruguay, the issue of drug control and regional developments.

In the meeting between the Secretary-General and the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam, Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the two men discussed issues related to UN-Brunei cooperation and the UN-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Comprehensive Partnership.

Also on Friday, the Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, met with Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha. They exchanged views on Nepal’s peace and constitution-making process and the economic and social situation in the country, including the MDGs.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the role of the United Nations in Nepal’s peace process, and briefed Mr. Eliasson on current efforts to end the political deadlock and to move forward, including possibly through new elections. The Deputy Secretary-General was encouraged by the new efforts and urged the Nepalese parties to complete the constitution-making process without delay while protecting the gains achieved so far.

The pair also exchanged views on the importance of transitional justice and international standards in the context of Nepal’s peace process, and Mr. Eliasson expressed his appreciation for Nepal’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping.

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PHOTO: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

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The “Nine Is Mine” campaign—with the support of a network of nongovernmental organizations including Salesian Missions—gives children and youth the opportunity to advocate for the MDGs in India.

The campaign’s goal is to put pressure on India’s government to keep its promise of allocating 6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for education and 3 percent for health and is linked with the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals.

Most recently, youth made their voices heard through an advocacy trip to New Delhi to raise awareness of the campaign and speak with leaders in the capital.

“These children made a historic journey of governance accountability and advocacy. Salesians in India are proud to have been a part of this. The message from our children is ‘We do not want to wait for tomorrow to be citizens. We want to be heard today so that, together, we will have a better tomorrow,’” says Salesian Father Thomas Pallithanam, one of several leaders among the organizers of the campaign.

With only three years remaining to reach the historic Millennium Development Goals, key leaders and experts are examining not only progress made on the current goals, but also how to expand them after the 2015 deadline. The United Nations Millennium Campaign, in partnership with the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and Beyond 2015 recently held a post-2015 roundtable on civil society engagement.

One of the key challenges identified was, “Poverty reduction needs to be front and center, with the voices of women, youth and other marginalized groups playing an influential role.” The conference was part of the UNMC goal to support and inspire people from around the world to take action in support of the Millennium Development Goals.

Through the “Nine Is Mine” advocacy effort in India, three groups of children traveled nine days, through nine cities and nine states. They raised nine issues in addition to the demand for a committed 9 percent of the GDP for education and health. One group consisted of nine children with disabilities, supported by nine other children. At every stop on the way groups of children and adults held public meetings and collected signatures in support of funding the campaign. When they reached New Delhi, they attended a public hearing, visited Parliament and met with various ministers.

A delegation of nine children, along with three adult guides, met India’s Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, who told the delegation “It is also my dream that I will be able to meet this very necessary demand. But do appreciate my constraint.”

While understanding that much still needs to be done, the adults and students who participated in the trip believe it was worth the effort.

“This has been a once in a lifetime privilege to share this great adventure of governance accountability by children. I have learned so much,” says Saneesh, one of the adults accompanying the group from Kottayam.

“Give Voice to the Girl Child and you will see changes!” says 17-year-old Jainab, a student from Meerut and winner of the India Pride Award given by Dainik Bhaskar.

“We got involved because they are children. They are youth. They are poor. They deserve every opportunity that we can give them, and the Salesians of Don Bosco are committed to reaching out to them in a multitude of different ways, from conducting youth camps, training their teachers, organizing children’s parliaments in villages and teaching human rights and child rights in government and private schools,” says Salesian Father George Menamparampil, director of BoscoNet India.

According to UNICEF, the world cannot reach its goal to have every child complete primary school by 2015 without India. While the 2009 Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act guarantees a child’s right to quality elementary education, UNICEF statistics tell a different story. These statistics show that in 2005, one in four children left school before reaching grade five and almost half before reaching grade eight. Learning assessments show the children who do remain in school are not learning the basics of literacy and numeracy or the additional skills necessary for their overall development.

Learn more about Salesian Missions programs in India.

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An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating March 22, 1993, as the first “World Water Day.”

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater – this year’s theme is water and food security.

“Agriculture is by far the main user of freshwater,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in an address highlighting World Water Day on March 22, 2012.

“Unless we increase our capacity to use water wisely in agriculture, we will fail to end hunger and we will open the door to a range of other ills, including drought, famine and political instability,” Ban Ki-moon continued.

“In many parts of the world, water scarcity is increasing and rates of growth in agricultural production have been slowing,” he said. “At the same time, climate change is exacerbating risk and unpredictability for farmers, especially for poor farmers in low-income countries who are the most vulnerable and the least able to adapt.”

Two weeks prior to this year’s World Water Day, UNICEF and World Health Organization report showed conclusively that poor people in rural areas are overwhelmingly those without these most basic necessities for life.

As the world commemorated World Water Day, UNICEF called on governments to pay particular attention to those who are being left behind in their countries’ progress, especially with regard to access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

“Governments must make sure that their resources achieve real results for the poorest people,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF’s chief of water, sanitation and hygiene. “Otherwise they risk leaving large portions of their populations, particularly children, increasingly vulnerable to disease.”

The report, Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation 2012, says the world met the Millennium Development Goal target for drinking water at the end of 2010, when 89 per cent of the world’s population, or 6.1 billion people, used improved drinking water sources.

However, it says that rural dwellers are several times more likely than their urban counterparts to be without access to safe drinking water. According to the report, globally there is an almost universal disparity of access to safe drinking water in rural areas compared to urban areas.

Of the 783 million people still without improved sources of drinking water in 2010, 653 million are from rural areas. The picture is even worse for sanitation, where globally, 79 per cent of the urban population use an improved sanitation facility compared to 47 per cent of the rural population. Fully 72 per cent of those without access to improved sanitation, or 1.8 billion people, live in rural areas.

UNICEF says the rural-urban divide for safe drinking water is particularly acute in poorer countries. In sub-Saharan Africa the gap between urban and rural is 34 percentage points. On average in Least Developed Countries, ninety-seven out of every 100 rural dwellers do not have piped water on premises.

Overwhelmingly, it is women and girls who are bearing the brunt of the water burden, UNICEF says. Surveys conducted in 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa found that in 71 per cent of all households without water on the premises women or girls are mainly responsible for water collection. Each household typically requires at least one trip a day, and often more, for water collection. It is estimated that women spend a combined total of at least 16 million hours each day collecting drinking water; men spend 6 million hours; and children, 4 million hours.

“Safe drinking water must reach everyone”, says Wijesekera. “We cannot celebrate progress until those who are hardest to reach can also turn on a tap, or go to a well or pump and get enough safe drinking water for their daily needs.”

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UN Photo/Martine Perret

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“Children with disabilities have the same rights as all children, and they deserve the same chance to make the most of their lives and to make their voices heard,” says Anthony Lake, UNICEF executive director. “We need to break down the barriers that prevent full participation of children with disabilities – from programs that ignore their needs, to prejudice that discounts their ability to contribute.”

Children with disabilities are among the most marginalized and excluded groups of children. Compared to their peers, they are routinely denied access to health, education and social services. They are often excluded from opportunities to participate in their communities, and are more vulnerable to violence and abuse.

Girls with disabilities also face additional discrimination because of their sex. In addition to marginalization within the family, community, school and wider social circles, girls with disabilities are often at greater risk of violence, injury, abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment and exploitation.

And children with disabilities are less likely to receive necessary healthcare, be taken to clinics, receive medication or be immunized. They are also often the last to receive information that would help them to stay safe, including how to avoid HIV/AIDS, and how to tell adults when they feel endangered. Such information is rarely available in formats accessible to blind or deaf children or those with intellectual disabilities.

Discrimination against children with disabilities stems from multiple sources, including ignorance, prejudice and cultural norms, which in turn lead to stigma and entrenched social exclusion. Their participation is further limited by multiple barriers, including lack of access to the physical environment and to information and communication; lack of adequate legislation, lack of public policies and monitoring mechanisms; and lack of training for teachers and other service providers.

One of the chief barriers to improving the lives of children with disabilities is the paucity of reliable data. When children with disabilities are not included in data collection efforts, they are equally absent from policy discussions and budget allocations.

The situation of children with disabilities is improving, but there are still extraordinary gaps, especially in places where poverty and inequality are more prominent. As the global community works together to achieve the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals with greater equity, it must do more to create effective legislation to protect the rights of children with disabilities, to establish programs and services to support children with disabilities and their families at the community and national levels, and to dispel stereotypes, fight stigma and change attitudes towards disability.

“UNICEF is committed to working with our partners to overcome the barriers that stand between children with disabilities and the full realization of their rights,” says Lake.

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Photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran – UNAMID

Sources:
UNICEF

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