The world is suffering extremely from the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects all aspects of our economy, society and environment. “Water, sanitation and Hygiene, WASH” is at the right center of combating COVID-19. This unprecedented pandemic teaches us how important the “WASH” is.
However, a large fraction of world population still has no access to clean and safe water thus, put them under the great danger of water-related diseases and even death.
The rapid population increase and urbanization make the scenario even worse. It left exactly a decade until 2030 for the SDGs. Water, as a cross-cutting issue, it can play a pivotal role in achieving the other Goals.
Asia is the most vulnerable region with regards to water-related problem. Over 60 percent of Global Population are located in many developing countries of Asia. People in Asia suffer from lack of sufficient & safe water caused by drought, river contamination, growing population and urbanization.
Provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is a key intervention for combating COVID-19, and other water diseases as it is critical in the prevention and the provision of care for all vulnerable areas.
We agree that civil society organisations with governments and private sector must take effective actions to protect and promote the rights for development including water and health, by providing evidence, engaging in advocacy, mobilising national public health associations, building consensus, and providing services related to the social determinants of health, standard setting, regulation and fostering social partnerships.
GIWEH with AWC (Asia Water Council), has been concentrating on raising awareness of regional water-related issues and tackling them through the implementation of practical projects. In addition, AWC plans to drive forth a water welfare enhancement initiative by creating the ‘Asian Water Welfare Index’. It will be used for identifying Water-Stress regions through analysis on water condition of each region in entire Asia and developing concrete water projects. Furthermore, AWC is organizing the 2nd Asia International Water Week (AIWW) in Indonesia, 2020, October with the theme
“Sustainable clean and sufficient water for all”. Health, safety and wellbeing is an integral part of our tasks
GIWEH and AWC send their ardent support to the Decade for Action to deliver the Global Goals. In collaboration with its 130 members, AWC and GIWEH will spare no efforts for the achievement of the SDGs. The potential of this intervention needs to be fully tapped if we want to achieve the 2030 SDG’s.
Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development
Global NeuroCare, a non-profit organization holding Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC, focuses on transformative pathways advancing sustainable access to healthcare in developing regions, a goal reaffirmed, targeted and endorsed by the Agenda [A/RES/70/1, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, Target 3.8], providing a cross-cutting impact across the SDGs, advancing broad social protection policies, thus furthering economic, social and political stability.
Findings
Fully aware that the world is faced with the unprecedented situation of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that started in Wuhan, China in 2019 and very rapidly evolved to a pandemic;
Recognizing that this pandemic has infected millions, caused many thousands of deaths, wreaked economic devastation, closed travel and trade, created global shortages of food and medical equipment;
Further recognizing that this pandemic requires a global, comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to provide immediate patient care, and intermediate and long-term global health security, by strengthening public health capacity and advancing scientific technology to develop new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines;
Noting with deep concern that addressing this pandemic will divert healthcare funding and support from ongoing programs, potentially derailing decades of progress especially in the least developed nations of sub-Saharan Africa [E/2017/NGO/16, E/CN.5/2018/NGO/20; E/CN.5/2019/NGO/33], precipitating a resurgence of infectious and non-communicable diseases, and increased maternal, neonatal and childhood mortality;
Realizing that any reversal of past gains will force millions of people into poverty, leading to increased vulnerability, marginalization and exclusion [E.CN.5/2018/NGO/20], further destabilizing global health security;
Global NeuroCare strongly reaffirms the critical necessity of ensuring well-directed financing focused on establishing self-sufficient local training programs to advance the recruitment, development, training and retention of healthcare workers in developing regions, in parallel with funding to effectively manage the ongoing pandemic, thereby promoting long term good health and well-being for all [SDG 3], a position we have
consistently ratified [E/CN.5/2017/NGO/19; E/CN.5/2018/NGO/20;
E/CN.5/2019/NGO/33], and which comports with the Agenda [SDG 3.C].
Recommendations
Having considered the above, Global NeuroCare respectfully calls upon this Forum to endorse our longstanding recommendations during this pandemic, ensuring an integrated, multi-lateral, multi-faceted, cross-sector approach to improving healthcare access in the least developed regions, thus promoting a broad cross-cutting impact directly or indirectly across the SDGs by accelerating poverty reduction [SDG 1], advancing equitable health outcomes leading to global public health security [SDG 3], ensuring inclusive and equitable education [SDG 4], furthering sustained, inclusive economic growth [SDG 8.5], improving inclusion and equality [SDG 10.4], which encourages just, peaceful and inclusive societies [SDG 16], and enhances cooperation [SDG 17], thereby engendering positive economic, social and political stability, which will contribute to the global recovery from this pandemic.