EDM 1113 End Water Poverty Campaign

12.01.00am GMT Fri 23rd Mar 2007

Dear Khalid Mahmood,

As I am sure you are aware there is a global crisis in water and sanitation. 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation, this is a crisis that is killing as many as 5000 children a day.

Without sanitation and water there can be no sustainable development in health, education and livelihoods, locking people into a cycle of poverty and disease. This crisis is one of inequality and poverty. If it is not tackled decisively, it will prevent and undermine progress made in reducing poverty, in achieving universal primary education, and improving people's basic health. This is a crisis that is hampering economic growth and income generation. In Africa, an estimated 5% of GDP is lost to illnesses and deaths caused by dirty water and the absence of sanitation.

In the coming years, climate change is expected to put increased pressure on water resources. Where water and sanitation services are poorly managed, the effects of climate change are going to make matters much worse. Unless water resources are protected and shared equitably, poor and marginalised communities will suffer most.

Water and sanitation are services that the poor almost always put as one of their top three priorities. However, the international development community and developing country governments treat them predominantly as marginal issues. The volume of spending on the sector has remained largely stagnant over the last ten years, and it has actually fallen in terms of the relative increases in overall aid spending and spending on health and education. Put simply, the water and sanitation sector is in crisis because there is a lack of political will to push through changes that benefit the poorest and most vulnerable people.

I writing to you to ask that you call on the government use it influence, power and sway to encourage international governments to agree to one global action plan for sanitation and water monitored by one global task force.

The effort to provide clean water and sanitation to the poorest people in the world would also be helped in the majority of aid money for sanitation and water was to be targeted at the poorest countries and if water resources were protected and shared equitably.

I hope that you will also show your own commitment to the issue by signing EDM 1113 End Water Poverty Campaign.

Yours sincerely,

Adam Nazir Ahmed Teladia