World Water Day is an international observance and opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to bring awareness to others and take action to make a difference.
The initial World Water Day dated back to the 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development where an international observance for water was recommended. The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22nd March 1993 as the first World Water Day.
Since then, this day has been held annually all around the world. Each year, UN-Water, the entity that coordinates the UN’s work on water and sanitation, sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. The engagement campaign is coordinated by one or several of the UN-Water Members with a related mandate.
Under the theme ‘Better Water, Better Jobs’, the year 2016 provides an important opportunity to consolidate and build upon the previous World Water Days to highlight the two-way relationship between water and the decent work agenda in the quest for sustainable development.
It is undisputable that water is the vital building block of life, but it is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is imperative for creating jobs and supporting economic, social activity and human development. Today, half of the world’s workers – 1.5 billion people – work in water-related sectors. Moreover, nearly all jobs, regardless of the sector, depend directly on water. Yet, despite the indelible link between jobs and water, millions of people whose livelihoods depend on water are often not recognised or protected by basic labour rights.
At the World Assembly of Youth (WAY), we believe that the World Water Day is a day to make a difference for the members of the global population who suffer from water related issues. It is a day when allstakeholders gather to strategically plan on how water should be managed in the future. In fact, ensuring access to safe water for all is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, in today world of limited resources, the private sector clearly has an increasingly important role to play.
Let us join the 2016 campaign to get informed, engaged and take action. You could also contribute on social media by using the hashtags #WaterIsWork and #WorldWaterDay.
Happy World Water Day!
