APO News from Africa:
Some 600 million children – or 1 in 4 children worldwide – will be living in areas with extremely limited water resources by 2040, according to a UNICEF report released today, World Water Day.
The report, Thirsting for a Future: Water and children in a changing climate, looks at the threats to children’s lives and wellbeing caused by depleted sources of safe water and the ways climate change will intensify these risks in coming years.
“Water is elemental; without it, nothing can grow. But around the world, millions of children lack access to safe water — endangering their lives, undermining their health, and jeopardizing their futures. This crisis will only grow unless we take collective action now,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.
According to the report, 36 countries are currently facing extremely high levels of water stress, which occurs when demand for water far exceeds the renewable supply available. Warmer temperatures, rising sea levels, increased floods, droughts and melting ice affect the quality and availability of water as well as sanitation systems.
Population growth, increased water consumption, and higher demand for water largely due to industrialization and urbanization are draining water resources worldwide. Conflicts in many parts of the world also threaten children’s access to safe water.
All of these factors force children to use unsafe water, which exposes them to potentially deadly diseases like cholera and diarrhoea. Many children in drought-affected areas spend hours every day collecting water, missing out on a chance to go to school. Girls are especially vulnerable to attack during these times.
South Africa too, despite recent rains in many parts of the country, regularly faces water shortages. According to statistics provided by the national Department of Health and UNICEF, unsafe or lack of water supply, sanitation services and hygiene is ranked 11th on the list of risk factors causing death in South Africa. In addition, approximately 11 per cent of South African households still lack adequate sanitation and at least 26 per cent of households within formal areas are equipped with sub-standard sanitation services. Diarrhoeal diseases account for 3.4 per cent of total deaths and are the 8th largest cause of death in South Africa.
Globally, the poorest and most vulnerable children will be most impacted by an increase in water stress, the report says, as millions of them already live in areas with low access to safe water and sanitation.
The report also notes that:
- Up to 663 million people globally do not have access to adequate water sources and 946 million people practice open defecation.
- Over 800 children under the age of five die every day from diarrhoea linked to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene;
- Globally, women and girls spend 200 million hours collecting water every day.
The impact of climate change on water sources is not inevitable, UNICEF says. The report concludes with a series of recommendations that can help curb the impact of climate change on the lives of children. Such measures include:
- Governments need to plan for changes in water availability and demand in the coming years; Above all, it means prioritizing the most vulnerable children’s access to safe water above other water needs to maximize social and health outcomes.
- Climate risks should be integrated into all water and sanitation-related policies and services, and investments should to target high-risk populations.
- Businesses need to work with communities to prevent contamination and depletion of safe water sources.
- Communities themselves should explore ways to diversify water sources and to increase their capacity to store water safely.
“In a changing climate, we must change the way we work to reach those who are most vulnerable. One of the most effective ways we can do that is safeguarding their access to safe water,” Lake said.
Distributed by APO on behalf of UN Information Centre in Pretoria (UNIC).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
Morocco has become the latest country to join UNWTO as partner of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017. The commitment was delivered at the Moroccan Day of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism held on 20 March in Rabat.
Morocco has become the latest partner of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.
On the occasion of the Moroccan Day of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism on 20 March, the government of Morocco committed to support the International Year and advance the promotion of the first African Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.
The African Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism, signed last November in Marrakesh during the Ministerial Forum on Tourism and Climate in Africa, on the sidelines of the COP22, aims at becoming an instrumental tool for the continent to engage in sustainable tourism best practices by reconciling social and economic growth, the preservation of the environment and the respect for the cultural diversity of each country.
“The commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco with the tourism sector is remarkable, not only by joining now the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, but also by other gestures done in the past such as partnering with the World Tourism Organization in promoting more responsible practices and leading the process of adoption of the African Charter” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
The United Nations 70th General Assembly has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector than can contribute to the SDGs.
The IY2017 will promote tourism’s role in the following five key areas: (1) Inclusive and sustainable economic growth; (2) Social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; (3) Resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; (4) Cultural values, diversity and heritage; and (5) Mutual understanding, peace and security.
Distributed by APO on behalf of World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
On the 24th of March, on the premises of the Residence of France in Accra, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, along with the Ambassador of France to Ghana, HE François Pujolas, will officially lay the foundation stone for the new building of the French embassy in Accra.
This ceremony falls within the context of the initiative ‘France & Ghana 1957-2017: moving forward together’, which marks the sixtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and France.
The foundation-stone laying ceremony of the new premises of the French Embassy will take place on the 24th of March at 10:00 AM at the Residence of France in Accra. According to the French Ambassador: “As we celebrate 60 years of Ghana’s independence and of our diplomatic relations this year, this ceremony carries a symbolic importance. Our partnership is strengthening, based on common values and a shared vision of the future relations between Europe and West Africa. Furthermore I am pleased to see a growing interest among French companies for long term presence and investments in Ghana.”
This project comes also as a part of ‘France & Ghana 1957-2017: moving forward together’, a framework for various events, mainly commercial or cultural, due to take place in the present year. The first event was the recent launch of the Air France direct flights from Paris to Accra, last February. A series of different events will follow throughout the year, including mainly the visit of the French navy band ‘Bagad de Lann-Bihoué in April, the Campus France Higher Education fair and the sixtieth anniversary celebration of l’Alliance française d’Accra later this year.
In order to celebrate this flourishing partnership between France and Ghana, We look forward to welcome the President of the Republic of Ghana, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as well as Government officials and local authorities for this foundation-stone laying ceremony.
Distributed by APO on behalf of Embassy of France to Ghana.
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
