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Ce jeu montre à quel point il est difficile d’assurer une distribution efficace de l’eau en Asie centrale.

Jeu

Access to water – An inalienable human right

Energie

Access to water is a right which governments must guarantee their citizens, but it also has a cost. Irrespective of whether water suppliers are public or private, user rights have to be guaranteed. So retaining decentralised, independent control is an essential prerequisite, necessitating reinforced governance mechanisms. It is also crucial for conflict prevention at a time when tension over this vital resource is escalating.

Keyfacts

• Every human being needs at least 20 litres of clean water a day.
• Worldwide, over 70% of the water consumed – and over 80% in developing countries – is used to produce food.
• More than 95% of African farmers have no access to water for irrigating their crops.
• Rivers like the Rio Grande, the Indus, the Nile and the Colorado, to name but a few, are reduced to mere trickles by highly eroded catchment areas.
• Large-scale damage to the forest ecosystems of the South, which produce fresh water, has very serious consequences for sustained water production.

Today’s soaring population figures in tandem with growing, intensive abuse and pollution are currently jeopardising water resources. In response to the complex mechanisms involved in this planetary challenge, an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) framework was developed, based on the four uses defined jointly by public, private and NGO players under the umbrella of the Global Water Partnership.

These four uses are:

The IWRM objectives reflect the concerns of the Rio Convention and the Millennium Development Goals. This invaluable instrument, in whose development the SDC played an active part, aims to ensure water is used as efficiently and in as sustainable a way as possible, protecting resources against pollution and recognising the right to water for all human beings. It covers the planning and management of drinking water supplies, access to sanitation services and the provision of sufficient water for production purposes.


The SDC’s focus – Where environmental, economic and social concerns meet
 The SDC’s work therefore positions itself at the intersection of three interdependent fields: environment, economy and society. Institutional development, technology and expertise are the vehicles used to accomplish its main mission of championing poverty reduction and sustainable development.

  • The SDC encourages users to stand up for their rights and supports local and regional political processes capable of managing water in a sustainable, socially equitable way.
  • Within the Integrated Water Resources Management framework, the SDC concentrates on two key areas: drinking water and sanitation (Water for People) and water for food production which entails safeguarding water-producing ecosystems (Water for Food). At international level, the SDC invests up to 90 million Swiss francs per year in work in international organisations and 170 projects in the field.


Additional Information and Documents

Documents
  • Water 2015
    Policy Principles and Strategic Guidelines for Integrated Water Resource Management
    Download (PDF, 556 KB) :  [en]  
  • Water 2015 - Short version
    Principles and Guidelines
    Download (PDF, 292 KB) :  [de]   [en]   [fr]   [es]  
    Order
  • A Human Rights-Based Approach to Water and Sanitation
    Briefing Paper
    Download (PDF, 475 KB) :  [en]  
  • Report on the Effectiveness of Swiss Development cooperation in the water sector
    Download (PDF, 659 KB) :  [de]   [en]   [fr]   [it]  
    Order

Articles and Press releases