ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

Chair: Natalia Hermida, Co-Chair: Elisavet Dravalou

Rotaract Global Model United Nations; Belgrade 26 30 August, 2015

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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

Honorable Delegates,

It is our pleasure to welcome you to the GA second committee, the Economic and Social
Council of Rotaract Global Model United Nations Conference.
We are Natalia Hermida and Elisavet Dravalou and will serve you as your chairs. We will
do our best to make this conference an outstanding and challenging experience.
We know that you are on the lookout for this activity. Each one of you has a key role in the
development of the committee; therefore, it is vital that your research is accurate and you
have the knowledge and capacity in order to support your arguments and propose viable
solutions.
During the session, we will be discussing two subjects:
A. The Economic and Social Impact of Ebola on the Affected Countries and Solutions for an Efficient and Multi-Sectoral Response.
B. Securing and Attaining Sustainable Water Management.
This study guide will be the starting point for you to get familiar with the topics and their
different dimensions. We encourage you to go further and get prepared by gathering as
much information as possible in order to make this debate a challenging one.
We are confident that this conference will contribute to your academic development but
beyond that, with wonderful memories, friends for life and courage to Be the change you
wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi
We are looking forward to meeting you, if you have any questions during the research,
please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely yours,
Natalia and Elisavet

Rotaract Global Model United Nations; Belgrade 26 30 August, 2015

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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN ACTION

RELEVANT UN BODIES AND ACTIONS

WATER FOR LIFE DECADE

QARMAS (QUESTIONS A RESOLUTION MUST ANSWER)

11

KEY WORDS

12

CONCLUSION

12

REFERENCES

13

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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

Topic Area B: Securing and Attaining Sustainable Water

Management

!
Source: http://social.yourstory.com/2014/01/solve-indias-toilet-crisis-throughsimple-click-or-buying-toilet-cleaner/

INTRODUCTION
Safe drinking water and adequate sanitation are crucial for poverty reduction, crucial for
sustainable development, and crucial for achieving any and every one of the Millennium
Development Goals. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General
Water crisis, water stress and water scarcity are one of the most crucial issues
that

concern the international community today. The

concept

Water

scarcity

is

referred to as the insufficient or lack of water resources that would cater to the
need of people in its usage.1 While Water stress is the struggle or difficulty of
obtaining fresh water for use in a certain period of time that may even lead to a
permanent situation because of environmental issues that adds up to the problem or
it may also be defined as a situation where the availability of water is major constraint on

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

human activity.2 Water crisis refers to the insufficiency of available, unpolluted

and potable water for the regions need. Despite the great quantity of water on the planet,
not all of it is available for human consumption. While nearly 70 percent of the world is
covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is fresh. The rest is saline and ocean based.
According to the statistics, 1 in every 5 people does not have access to clean water, which
means almost one billion people lack of it and around 768 million consume water from a
source that produces 20 liters per day at a distance of 1kilometre. Moreover, in the 20th
century the population of the world tripled and is still expected to increase by another
40-50% within the next decades. In essence, only 0.007% of the planet's water is
available to fuel and feed its 6.8 billion people.3

Photo 1: Source: http://crisisboom.com/tag/water-crisis/

Photo 2: Source : http://www.occupyforanimals.net/the-global-water-crisis.html

To live properly, a person would need a minimum of 50 liters of water per day to ensure
that his basic needs are met; unfortunately millions of people do not have access to it, not
only because of environmental conditions, but also because of the lack of infrastructure,
the quality of the water, unsustainable consumption patterns and over-exploitation of
groundwater reserves. Moreover, pollution,

population growth and the amount of water

http://www.unep.org/dewa/vitalwater/article141.html
See also: http://www.climatedata.info/Impacts/Impacts/waterstress.html
3

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-crisis/
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

used in agriculture and industries only deteriorate the crisis, especially in certain regions of
the planet.
Access to safe water and sanitation are legal rights, governments should accelerate their
compromise to reach basic levels and better access; also vulnerable communities shall be
trained in order to participate in decision making processes.
For the reasons mentioned above, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights adopted the General Comment No. 15, which estates that "The human right to
water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the
realization of other human rights." The UN aims to improve the management of scarce
fresh water resources, emphasizing on supply and demand as well as quantity and quality.

ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN ACTION

Numerous organizations have taken
action regarding the issue of
freshwater crisis. In many countries,
members of Rotary International
supply clean water and sanitation
facilities to prevent the spread of
infectious diseases and the individual
clubs raise awareness with multiple
projects.4 ABDs (Asian Development
Bank) Water for All program, is a
project worked with private
companies to provide clean water to cities in the People's Republic of China.5 The FAN
(Freshwater Action Network) is a global network of people implementing and influencing
water and sanitation policy and practice around the world.6 The World Water Council, an

https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/learning-reference/about-rotary/water-and-sanitation

http://www.adb.org/sectors/water/main

http://www.freshwateraction.net/content/about-us-0
Photo source: https://www.charlestonrotary.com/Community/Water-Project.aspx
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

international multi-stakeholder platform which produces the World Water Forum, is a

key platform on talking, debating and giving solutions to water problems.7 Conservation
International,8 the Global restoration network and many other institutions have dedicated
their work to promoting sustainable water management on an international level. On
national level, there are many countries who have prioritized and made policies and
program

in

relation

to

water challenges, such as recycling water, importing water,

desalination etc.9

RELEVANT UN BODIES AND ACTIONS

The

United

N a t i o n s

Environment Programme (UNEP) has as its goal the equitable and sustainable
management of water resources.10 The World Water Assessment Programme of UNESCO
monitors the worlds freshwater resources, provides recommendations, develops case
studies, enhance assessment capacity at a national level and inform the decision-making

http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/

http://www.conservation.org/what/Pages/fresh-water.aspx

See e.g. http://centres.insead.edu/innovation-policy/events/documents/Singapore-WaterShortage.pdf

10

http://www.unep.org/Themes/Freshwater/About/index.asp
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

process.11The WHO has repeatedly dealt with the issue of drinking water and health risks
that may arise after contaminating water with infectious agents.12
[See also: http://www.un.org/earthwatch/freshwater/ for some detailed freshwater
assessments].
In order to protect and maintain a sustainable water management, the United Nations
implemented the following resolutions:
-

23 December, 2003: Resolution A/RES/58/217 proclaiming 2005-2015 International

Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015.

22 March, 2005: Start of the International Decade for Action "Water for Life" 2005-2015
as established in Resolution A/RES/58/217

20 December, 2006: Declaration of 2008 'International Year of Sanitation' (A/RES/

61/192).

21 December, 2009: Resolution calling for a Midterm comprehensive review of the implementation of the International Decade for Action 'Water for life' 2005-2015 (A/RES/
64/198).

28 July, 2010:

UN Resolution recognizing access to safe and clean drinking water

and
sanitation as a human right (A/RES/64/292).
-

11 February: 'Sustainable sanitation: the five-year drive to 2015'. Follow-up of the

International Year of Sanitation, 2008 (A/RES/65/153). This is an initiative by the UN
Secretary-General' Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB), UNICEF and
the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC). The resolution
makes reference to the Decade.

11

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/wwap/

12

http://www.who.int/topics/drinking_water/en/
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

11 February, 2011: Declaration of 2013 'International Year of Water Cooperation' (A/

RES/65/154).

24 July, 2013: UN Resolution A/RES/67/291 designates 19 November as World Toilet

Day in the context of Sanitation for All.

19 December, 2014: UN General Assembly adopts resolution on International Decade

for Action Water for Life 2005-2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (A/RES/69/215).13

WATER FOR LIFE DECADE

.
According to UN Resolution A/RES/58/217, proclaiming 2005-2015 International Decade
for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015, these are the activities and reports done until now:

22 March, 2005: Start of the International Decade for Action "Water for Life" 2005-2015
as established in Resolution A/RES/58/217

11-22 April, 2005: 13th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

Report on the thirteenth session (E/2005/29), which contains a matrix of actions to
form a basis for the Decade.

25 July, 2005: Report of the UN Secretary-General on Actions taken in organizing the

activities of the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015 (A/60/158).
This inception report of the Decade contains pledges of activities by the UN agencies,
as well as the proposed governance structure.

August 2007: Opening of the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development

(UNW-DPC) in Bonn, Germany.

13

January-December, 2008: International Year of Sanitation.

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/milestones.shtml
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

December, 2008: Status of Implementation of CSD-13 Policy Actions on Water and

Sanitation. This document builds upon the decisions reached during the 13th Session
of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in 2005.

22 March, 2010: High-Level Interactive Dialogue on the implementation of the

International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015. UN Headquarters, New
York. Four documents were presented:
o Water, peace and security: transboundary water cooperation (A/64/692 and A/
64/692/Corr.1).
o Organization of the midterm comprehensive review of the International Decade
for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015 (A/64/693).
o Water, climate change and disasters (A/64/695).
o Water and the internationally agreed development goals (A/64/694).

8-9 June, 2010: High-level International Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive

Review of the Implementation of the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'
2005-2015. Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

22 June, 2010: Dushanbe Declaration on Water (A/65/88). This 'non-negotiated text'

lists a number of focal areas for the remainder of the Decade.

16 August, 2010: Report of the UN Secretary-General on the Midterm comprehensive

review of the implementation of the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'
2005-2015 (A/65/297).

21 June, 2011: Launch of UN Campaign "Sustainable sanitation: the five-year drive to

2015".

20-22 June, 2012: Rio+20. The Rio+20 Outcome Document highlights the commitment
to the 2005-2015 International Decade for Action "Water for Life".

January-December, 2013: International Year of Water Cooperation.

September, 2013: UN Deputy Secretary-Generals Call to Action on Sanitation.

19 November, 2013: 1st UN celebration of World Toilet Day.

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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

18-19 February, 2014: UN General Assembly thematic debate on Water, Sanitation

and Sustainable Energy in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. UN-water
presents recommendations for a global goal on water in post-2015 agenda.

11 March, 2014: Special Event Taking Stock of the International Year of Water
Cooperation and Advancing the Global Water Agenda Post-2015.

19 July, 2014: UN Open Working Group adopts its final proposal for Sustainable
Development Goals.

17 August, 2014: The 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the NonNavigational Uses of International Watercourses (United Nations Watercourse
Convention) enters into force .

6 November, 2014: UN Human Rights Council appoints Lo Heller as 2nd Special

Rapporteur on the human right to water and sanitation.

4 December, 2014: UN Secretary-General presents advanced version Synthesis

Report on Post-2015 Agenda

30 March, 2015: High-level Interactive Dialogue The International Decade for Action:
Progress achieved and lessons learned relevant to the achievement of sustainable
development'.

9-11 June, 2015: High Level International Conference on the implementation of the
International Decade for Action Water for Life, 2005-2015 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

13- 16 July, 2015: 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia.14

QARMAs (Questions a Resolution Must Answer)

How is sustainable water management being promoted?

What incentives are provided in the solution?

From where will the resources to generate those incentives come from?

14

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/milestones.shtml
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

What are some realistic short-term and long-term measures in order to achieve sustainable water management?

Which countries face a water crisis and what are the economic and social consequences?

KEY WORDS
-

Human Rights: Are those rights intrinsic to all human beings despite their nationality,
religion, language, etc.

Millennium Goals: The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a set of eight
goals set by 191 United Nations member countries that have the goal of halving world
poverty by the year 2015.15

Safe Water: Water able to be consumed due to a purification process which does not
represent any risk to health.

Salubrious: favorable to or promoting health or well-being.16

- Sanitization: Is the complete disappearance of pathogenic microorganisms without

causing any infection. The process whereby a substantial reduction of microbial content takes place, to a safe level , without reaching to the complete disappearance of
pathogenic microorganisms without causing any infection.
- Scarcity: Short supply.

CONCLUSION
Cities cannot be sustainable without ensuring reliable access to safe drinking water and
adequate sanitation. Coping with the growing needs of water and sanitation services within
cities is one of the most pressing issues of this century. Sustainable, efficient and equitable
management of water in cities has never been as important as in today's world. There is a
strong link between water management and poverty reduction. The lack of fresh water
15

https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-we-do/aid-and-development/millennium-developmentgoals/what-are-the-millennium-development-goals/
16

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salubrious
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does not only result to people suffering and dying, but also to nations economies suffering.
Water management is, not only a necessary step to preserve the planet and humanity, but
also a good investment. It can contribute to poverty reduction in affordable ways and it
promotes health and therefore development in local communities. 17

REFERENCES
-

http://www.unwater.org/topics/water-security/en/

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/pdf/27_01_2014_un-water_paper_on_a_post2015_global_goal_for_water.pdf

http://www.aquafed.org/pages/fr/admin/UserFiles/pdf/2013-10-11_Budapest_Water_Summit_Statement.pdf

http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/SC/pdf/Consultation_freshwater_2013_EN.pdf

https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/learning-reference/about-rotary/water-and-sanitation

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002180/218061e.pdf

http://www.lb.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/doc/Energy%20and%20Environment/
Arab_Water_Gov_Report/Arab_Water_Report_AWR_Chapter%203.pdf

h t t p s : / / b o o k s . g o o g l e . c o m . l b / b o o k s ?
id=UXy_AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA259&lpg=PA259&dq=SECURING+AND+ATTAINING
+

+MANAGEMENT&source=bl&ots=HlkqSPu27F&sig=9MJgXwMEN_5EXhq1aPxq1q4RtR4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB0Q6AEwATgKahUKEwj0kfWYvZHHAhUnKNsKHV1SAXw#v=onepage&q=SECURING%20AND%20ATTAINING%20SUSTAINABLE%20WATER%20MANAGEMENT&f=false
-

17

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/transboundary_waters.shtml

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/resources/povertyreduction/en/
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ECOSOC, TOPIC AREA B: SECURING AND ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/milestones.shtml

http://www.un.org/spanish/waterforlifedecade/pdf/human_right_to_water_and_sanitation_media_brief_spa.pdf

http://www.refworld.org/docid/4538838d11.html

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24397#.Vcku3XGqqko

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/human_right_to_water.shtml

http://ustmun.weebly.com/economic-and-social-council-ecosoc.html

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml

http://www.unep.org/dewa/vitalwater/article141.html

http://www.climatedata.info/Impacts/Impacts/waterstress.html

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-crisis/

http://www.adb.org/sectors/water/main

http://www.freshwateraction.net/content/about-us-0

http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/

http://www.who.int/globalchange/ecosystems/water/en/

http://www.conservation.org/what/Pages/fresh-water.aspx

http://www.unep.org/Themes/Freshwater/About/index.asp

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/resources/povertyreduction/en/

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