4th World Water Forum Mexico 2006
The water and sanitation sector meets every three years at the World Water Forum
01.01.2006 | WECF Event
| Countries: | International |
| Donors: | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Developing Cooperation, TMF programme, The Netherlands |
| Partners: | Women for Water, WEDO, IUCN, Gender-Water Alliance |
| Issues: | Water & Sanitation |
| Duration: | 01/2006 - 12/2006 |
The world Water Forum allows WECF members to present their experiences and policy recommendations to global decision makers from businesses and governments.
Background
The World Water Forum, set up by the World Water Council, is organized every three years in close collaboration with the authorities of the hosting country and is the largest international event in the field of water. It serves four main purposes:
- To raise the importance of water on the political agenda
- To support the deepening of discussions towards the solution of international water issues in the 21st century
- To formulate concrete proposals and bring their importance to the world's attention
- To generate political commitment
The 4th World Water Forum in Mexico saw WECF and its Armenian member AWHHE and Ukrainian member MAMA-86 organize two workshops sessions on water and sanitation.
WECF goals
WECF, through its projects, activities, research and network, supports the goals of the World Water Forum and the World Water Council. WECF uses ecological sanitation (ecosan) as a central part of its work to help rural communities and households to access safe water and healthy sanitation. Much of the work takes place in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus.
WECF implementation
WECF together with Women for Water (WfW) organized an international Working Conference from
March 12-15, 2006 in Mexico City. Women's organizations from all over the world
came together to work out sustainable solutions for access to safe and sufficient
water and sanitation. Among the countries present were Afghanistan, Armenia, Bulgaria,
Colombia, Chile, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Romania, Sri Lanka, Uganda,
the Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Lesotho and Zambia.
The Working Conference, which took place just a couple of days before the 4th
World Water Forum, resulted in useful ideas and inputs for the women’s sessions
during the actual Forum.
Participants of the Working Conference were invited to visit two Mexican
towns with ongoing ecological sanitation projects. Both towns are located close
to Mexico City. The visitors got a guided tour of the infrastructure by the local
women's group. See picture below.
The first session took place on March 19, during the day on "Water and Sanitation".
WECF presented successful local actions on ecological sanitation in schools in
the Ukraine, Romania, Armenia and Bulgaria, as well as successful local actions
on financing water supply in Bolivia and Mexico. The session title was “Access
to safe water and ecological sanitation for rural areas. Good practice in Latin
America and Eastern Europe from a gender perspective.”
The second session took place on March 21, during the "Risk Management" day and
addressed the issue of providing affordable water and sanitation in conflict areas
and ecological hotspots, such as Afghanistan, the Aral Sea region, Pakistan and
Kyrgyzstan. The title was “Managing safe drinking water in areas of armed conflict
and ecological disaster from a gender perspectives: learning from local actions
in Central Asia and Latin America.”
Both sessions took place in rooms with a capacity of 250 persons. The high interest
and attendance filled the rooms completely.
WECF brought a delegation of women from the European Union and the EECCA countries
to present their local solutions and activities while Women for Water invited
a group of women from other parts of the world to focus on their activities during
the Forum.
Women for Water and WECF set up a coalition with other women's organisations taking
part in the the WWF-4 and together they organised an exhibition stand and daily
women's caucus meetings. Here, WECF members had the chance to get in contact with
the Forum participants and inform about their organisations and projects.
At least four interviews were given to Mexican radio stations interested in gender
issues; Gisela Herrerias (Alternativas y Procesos de Participación Social), Aurora
Ramirez and Petra Peña (Centro de Mujeres Tonantzin), and Sascha Gabizon (WECF)
were interviewed.
A press conference was also held and many publications were distributed among
the participants during the WECF and WfWfW sessions.
Two documentaries were shown during the 4th World Water Forum:
“No Drinking Water“ – A film about women’s struggle
for access to safe drinking water in Romania, Ukraine and Sri Lanka; and “ The Aral Sea – Where the Water Ends, the World Ends." A documentary on the communities
of the Aral Sea region and their struggle for health and survival.
Facts related to the participation of WECF members were published in different
Mexican and internationally written and electronic media.
Related News
Water and Sanitation from a gender perspective
Water and Sanitation from a gender perspective at the World Water Forum-4, Mexico City 13-21 March 2006
13.06.2008
WECF members in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan providing water and sanitation in conflict and disaster areas are the “fire-fighters”.
Press conference at 4th World Water Forum, Mexico City
27.03.2006 | WECF Press Release
Dezentralized ecological wastewater solutions are healthy and affordable for poor communities
MAMA-86 Ukraine and Women in Europe present conference results to press in Mexico City
27.03.2006 | WECF Press Release
Human rights: safe drinking water and sanitary facilities
WECF presents safe, cheap and simple water and sanitary supply systems during the 4. World Water Forum in Mexico City. (Text in German)
16.03.2006 | Johanna Hausmann
Women in Europe to Present Water Projects on the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico
Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) along with its network organizations will take part in the 4th World Water Forum (WWF-4) in Mexico on March 16-22, 2006.
15.03.2006 | WECF Press Release
Women for Water pesents 2 new flyers
WfWfW has published two new publications on the Women for water Partnership, one in english and one in spanish. The flyers are made by WECF
09.03.2006 | Irma Thijssen
Women in Europe will present water projects at World Water Forum Mexico
WECF and 15 members from Ukraine, Armenia, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakstan, Afghanistan, Romania, Mexico, Germany and the Netherlands take part in WWF-4
09.03.2006 | Irma Thijssen
WECF contributes to preparation of the World Water Forum, Mexico
Good practices on ecological sanitation - from WECF partners in Romania and Ukraine - published in European Report
24.01.2006 | Monica Diaz, WECF
