World Water Day 2011 focuses on addressing urban water challenges

ISAAC PINIELO
Correspondent | Friday March 18, 2011 00:00

 

The theme for the day is 'Water and Urbanization.' Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Francistown, Dr Obolokile Obakeng, who is Director of Water Affairs, explained that World Water Day 2011 is being spearheaded by UN-Habitat on behalf of UN-Water.  According to Dr Obakeng, the main objective of World Water Day 2011 is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems.

'As a first step, UN-Habitat hosted two teleconferences last year, in April and July respectively, to shape the agenda for the World Water Day 2011. During the teleconferences, participating organizations outlined some key issues to be addressed under the theme of the World Water Day 2011,' he noted.

According to Dr Obakeng, issues that were outlined during the teleconferences included urbanization trends and implications for water policy and practice, ecological footprint of urban water, including watershed and wastewater management, as well as flood management issues.

Other issues, he added, were urban and peri-urban agriculture, including the use of treated wastewater and rainwater harvesting for urban agriculture, social dialogue and participatory governance, and the role of learning alliances in urban water management. Dr Obakeng also indicated that as part of the World Water Week in Stockholm, a seminar was held on the 7th of September 2010 under the theme 'World Water Day 2011 - Urban Water management: Key Issues and Priorities for Action'.

He further indicated that the objective of this seminar was to highlight key urban water management issues and priorities for action based on the diverse experience of UN-Water members and other stakeholders, adding that it was in that seminar that participants made recommendations regarding the planning, organization and development of key messages for World Water Day 2011. He noted that most of the speakers stressed the need for focus on solutions and that organizers of World Water Day 2011 should get global leaders to recognize the importance of proper water management in the cities and use their messages to inspire positive action.

It was also agreed on the need to get more children and youth involved in activities to celebrate the World Water Day 2011 activities, as well as to work with the media in preparations of this day.