Transcript The UNECE/WHO-EURO Protocol on Water and Health: where health, environment and development policies meet Francesca Bernardini UNECE The Protocol on Water and Health: making a difference.

The UNECE/WHO-EURO
Protocol on Water and Health:
where health, environment
and development policies meet
Francesca Bernardini
UNECE
The Protocol on Water and Health:
making a difference
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Why a treaty to manage water resources
and prevent water-related diseases ?
 In the European Region, poor-quality drinking-water causes over 13 000
deaths from diarrhoea among children aged 0–14 years (5.3% of all deaths
in this age group) each year
 140 million (16%) do not have a household connection to a drinking-water
supply, 85 million (10%) do not have improved sanitation; the situation had
not improved in the past 15 years
 In central and eastern Europe water is safe only in 30—40% of households.
 Emerging threats: protozoan infestations of drinking-water supply systems,
proliferation of Legionella, and potential health problems related to the
increasingly complex chemical environment
 Overuse, pollution, extreme weather events affect water resources
The Protocol on Water and Health:
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The Protocol on Water and Health
The world’s only legal treaty designed
to reduce water-related deaths and
diseases through improved water
management
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making a difference
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Aim: Protect human health and well being by better
management of water resources
Health
outcome
Drinking
water
quality
Legal
framework
Environmental
quality
The Protocol on Water and Health:
making a difference
Environmental
Management
Health
Outcomes
 Effective protection of water related
ecosystems and sustainable use of
water resources
 Provision of adequate supplies of
wholesome drinking water
 Prevention, control and reduction of
water-related diseases
 Detection, contingency planning and
response to outbreaks
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Objectives
(a) Access to drinking water for everyone and
(b) Provision of sanitation for everyone
=> Focus on sustainable development and MDGs,
beyond MDG 7, target 10
=> framework for implementing the human
right to water and poverty reduction
=> focus on governance, integration of policies and
on cooperation
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Status of ratification
Adopted in
1999 by 36
countries
Entered into
force in 2005
Signatories
Parties
Currently
ratified by 24
countries
Towards
accession
.
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Scope
@ MED action plan
@ WHO central photo library
Costal and
estuarine
waters
Surface
waters
Water
during
abstraction,
transport,
treatment
and supply
@ UNEP photo collection
Wastewater
collection,
transport,
treatment,
discharge,
reuse
@ WHO EURO photo collection
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How: the Protocol’s pillars
Setting targets and
assessing progress
Surveillance and
response
PROTOCOL
Compliance
procedure
Mutual assistance
AHPFM
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Art 6 and 7:
Targets, measures, review of progress
ESTABLISH
TARGETS
Within 2 years
of becoming
a Party, each
Party shall set
targets and
target dates
 Water supply
and sanitation
 Water
management
 Health
protection
The Protocol on Water and Health:
making a difference
REVIEW
PROGRESS
MEASURES

National
coordination
mechanism






Collect and
evaluate data
Water
management
plans
Investments

Publish
results
Review
progress
Monitoring
Enforcement
Capacity
building


Submit
summary
report
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Progressive and continuous action
Review of
progress
Set targets
and target dates
Programme of
measures
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Surveillance and response
Public
information
of threat
Public
authorities
notified
Responsive
Health
Systems
Water-related
outbreaks or
threats
identified
The Protocol on Water and Health:
making a difference
Capacity
strengthened
to implement
contingency
plans
Preventive
and remedial
actions
Contingency
plans timely
prepared
11
Assistance tools
Compliance
Committee
The Protocol on Water and Health:
making a difference
Project Facilitation
Mechanism
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Public awareness, education and public participation
Parties shall
 Ensure public participation in decision making (target setting)
 Take steps to enhance public awareness
 Promote common understanding between sectors
 Encourage education and training
 Ensure that information is available to the public
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How does the Protocol function?
Meeting of the
Parties (MOP)
Compliance
Committee
Bureau
Ad Hoc Project
Facilitation
Mechanism
Working Group on Water and Health
Joint Secretariat WHO – UNECE
The Protocol on Water and Health:
making a difference
 Task Force
Surveillance
 Task Force on
Indicators and
Reporting
 Task Force on
Extreme Weather
Events
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In practice… technical guidance
 From the what to the how for a common approach in the region
 Theoretical and technical framework for compliance with main
obligations
 Guidelines on setting targets, evaluation of progress and reporting;
technical and policy guidance on surveillance
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In practice… emerging(ed) issues
 Small scale water supplies
 Water supply and sanitation in extreme weather events
 Equitable access to water / implementation of the human right to water
and sanitation
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In practice… capacity building
 On different aspects of the Protocol’s implementation
 Focus on South-Eastern Europe and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and
Central Asia
 Supported by other activities and feeds back to work under the Protocol
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In practice… country projects
 Two ongoing in Moldova and in Ukraine
 Requests for others
 Link to activities carried out within the National Policy Dialogues on
IWRM under the EU Water Initiative
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Main advantages
 Legally binding => ensures long-term commitment and forms a basis for
improved regulatory environment
 Designed to support continuous progress with pace and objectives tailored to
countries’ priorities and capacities
 Programme of work supports implementation and harmonization in the region
as well as a framework for dealing with emerging issues
 Offers a structured environment for government, NGOs and business to
develop long-term cooperation at national and international level
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Where do we stand in the rest of the region
Results of the first reporting exercise
 Recognition of the importance of the Protocol is increasing,
implementation is progressing
 Setting targets is a challenge for countries as it confronts governance
inadequacies
 Problems of access to water and sanitation in rural areas
 Not only access: quality aspects, hygiene, performance
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Challenges
 Difficulty of the problems => complexity of the solution
 Integration: the beauty of the Protocol and its curse
 Win inertia of traditional/sectoral approach=> Still weak recognition of
the linkages between environment and public health
 Difficulties in getting high political attention
 Financial implications vs underfunding of the water sector
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Status in Eastern Europe
Country
Ratification
Targets
Belarus
22 April 2009
Under development
Republic of Moldova
10 March 2000
Set and adopted
Russian Federation
31 December 1999
?
Ukraine
26 September 2003
Set
Adopted?
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