Water For Justice

TRC ATTENDED WATER CONFERENCE WEEK IN SWEDEN

The Water for Justice Programme attended a Water Week Conference in Stockholm Sweden in August. The main theme for the week was: Progress and Prospects on Water: For Clean and Healthy World, with special focus on sanitation.

Discussion was around five thematic areas:Sanitation

Climate
Environmental Pollution and Ecosystems
Transboundary WatersWater resources Management

SANITATION
On Sanitation a highlight was made that there were 2.6 billion people world wide who have no access to healthy sanitation; no toilets. It was emphasized that investment on sanitation had been neglected for long. There was great evidence that sanitation was indeed a good investment. Governments should therefore budget more for sanitation.

CLIMATE
The major threats to water resources are growth in wealth and consumption and population growth. Global warming is therefore exacerbated. Integrated decision making is critical. Adaptation-smart mitigation is needed: avoid maladaptions such as poorly considered biofuel and water infrastructure plans.

ENVIROMENTAL POLLUTION AND ECOSYSTMS
Inadequate environmental sanitation (urban/rural) was observed. Disposal of human wastes, solid wastes in waterways. Inadequate adaptation to climate change (water sector). Way ford: increase investments in environmental sanitation; awareness programs necessary; sustainable development of cities.

TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS
Growth demands are outstripping resources. There is a need to focus on benefit sharing rather than on water sharing. Dialogue in water issues is necessary. Need empirical, interpretative and advocacy; inclusion of socio-political process necessary.

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Water has been seen as a social, economic and political commodity. It is necessary to translate the right to water and sanitation from policy into practice-facilitating dialogue between actors.

RELEVANCE OF THE WATER WEEK TO THE TRANSFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE.
TRC works around water issues, dams, environment and pollution monitoring. It was an occasion for networking and it was a forum for fundraising. Water and Sanitation were given prominence in that conference. TRC is better placed to monitor all water resources in Lesotho. The conference was an opportunity to share ideas on water and Sanitation as falling under basic human rights.

TRC has always advocated that water be a right enshrined into Lesotho’s constitution. This position was echoed in Stockholm, Sweden. Coincidentally water is a right in Sweden, and people do not buy water. TRC advocacy has been refreshed by the trip to Sweden.

TRC should therefore share with the rest of humanity about the plight of the millions who do not have access to water and sanitation.