World Rural Women's Day
15 October

Poster 2002

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Open Letter to Rural Women of the World - 2002
"Claim your right to safe water"

Dear Sisters,

The theme of this year's letter is your right to safe water. When one speaks of

basic human rights, the right to safe water is the most basic of all. Access to safe drinking water is, above all, a political issue which must be guaranteed by your Governments and International Institutions. All of us, however, have an obligation to preserve, protect and respect water which is life, a gift of nature to all humanity. It is a unique component of our environment and is indeed one of our most precious resources. All our social and economic activities rely heavily on the supply and quality of water which requires careful conservation and sustainable management by men and women.

Health and water

As the water carriers in most parts of the world, and due to increasing environmental and population pressures, many of you are walking further and further - 10, 20, 40 km - to fetch water for household use. As the food providers and mothers responsible for family hygiene and for your fields and gardens, you are the first to realize the importance and clear link between health and water. You cannot attain health without safe water and sanitation and your effective involvement in water management is therefore crucial. Eighty percent of common diseases in developing countries are caused either by dirty water or lack of sanitation. Water-borne diseases kill about 25,000 people per day, most of them children. Since we all share the same need for water, managing water resources should be the responsibility of men and women. You need to be involved both at the community and at the policy making level and evolve from mere water carriers into planners and managers of supply systems. There is also a strong link between girl-education and developing water schemes. Easier access to drinking water will release crucial time needed for their education as they are often withdrawn from school to help with carrying water among other tasks.

Environment and water

Today, water in many areas of the world is rare and has become a cause of conflict. By 2025, 96 countries will face considerable water shortage and 45 will face very serious water problems. It is therefore vital to eliminate the wasting and pollution of water while at the same time slowing population growth, or we shall be faced with tough competition for water resources. Rural areas often suffer desertification when water is piped away towards cities without the consent of rural communities. Water is polluted as a result of poor waste management (sewage dumped directly into rivers, lakes and seas) and leaching of agricultural and industrial chemicals. Global warming is altering the balance of water resources worldwide, causing some areas to be flooded while others are becoming dryer, in addition to causing sea levels to rise.

Poverty, food security, privatisation and water

Clean drinking water is an essential part of healthy nutrition and food security. Lack of water is already a major obstacle to local food production, and access to water by the poorest populations is also threatened by privatisation of supply systems. Privatisation will not solve the problem of scarcity but is enabling large corporations to charge monopoly profits. It is absolutely unacceptable that one of the most basic resources of existence becomes a major source of profit, often at the expense of the poorest of the poor. You must protect it as a public good. Water-value is the most precious social capital of our present time. It is a resource that belongs to all and must be managed as such. A high pricing of water can bar especially the poorest from access to improved water supply for basic hygiene, consumption and food production.

Agriculture and water

Agriculture is often your prime subsistence and economic activity in developing countries and accounts by far for the largest water use. Especially in your rural areas, agriculture determines to a large extent how water is managed at community and household level and plays an important role in the division of water related tasks, means and responsibilities. Water and its declining supply therefore calls on men and women to manage it sustainably. It is widely recognised that improving supply systems and keeping water clean is largely your responsibility. However, you are almost totally absent from the field of water management in spite of the fact that you are the main users.

So what can you do ?

Demand that Governments and Transnational Corporations

Dear Sisters, we honour you and wish you success in your deliberations and celebrations

on World Rural Women's Day 2002. Continue to enrich humanity with your creativity, power and strength and claim your right to safe water.

Elly Pradervand, Campaign Director - World Rural Women's Day - 15 October
Executive Director - Women's World Summit Foundation WWSF, HQ in Geneva, Switzerland

	For further information and posters, contact WWSF, PO Box 143, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland Tel. : (+41 22) 738 66 19. Fax : (+41 22) 738 82 48. E-mail : wwsf@wwsf.ch.

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