World Health Organization (WHO) Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Health and Environment Division (HEP)

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World Health Organization (WHO) Pan
American Health Organization (PAHO) Health and
Environment Division (HEP)
Water Policy in the Americas Roundtable
Organization of American StatesWater and
Health Global and Regional Initiatives Ing.
Paulo Cezar PintoPAHO Regional AdvisorFebruary
15 2001
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1. PAHO Institutional Vision Panamericanism and
Equity

• Panamericanism and Equity core values of PAHO
• Ensure the sustainable provision of water supply
  and sanitation for all
• Emphasis on the poor segments of the population
  in in Latin America and the Caribbean region

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1. PAHO Institutional Vision Panamericanism and
Equity

• The VISION is
• water is a basic human right
• water should produce health

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2. WHO/UNICEF Global Assessment 2000

• Regions in the Americas Population of Analyzed
  Groups

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2. WHO/UNICEF Global Assessment 2000

• LAC Region Population of Analyzed Groups

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2. WHO/UNICEF Global Assessment 2000

• Population Served Drinking Water and Sewerage in
  Latin America and the Caribbean (Years 1960-2000)

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3. PAHO/OAS Water-Health Collaboration3.1
Overview

• Initiatives between PAHO (Health and Environment
  Division) and the OAS (Unit for Sustainable
  Development and the Environment), has as its
  objective, to support promotional actions in
  water quality and the protection of water
  resources for human health in the context of
  sustainable development

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3. PAHO/OAS Water-Health Collaboration3.2
Strategies

• A working group was established for following up
  with the advances of the initiatives and a
  preliminary document was elaborated upon, which
  was discussed in a panel at the AIDIS Congress,
  in Porto Alegre.
• The document will be the base of discussion for
  sectoral policies related to water and health in
  its broadest context.

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3. PAHO/OAS Water-Health Collaboration3.3
Expected Results

• Consolidation of actions of the entities
• Institutional reinforcement to the established
  networks and major link between the water
  resources in general and water for human
  consumption
• Sectoral Advocacy and the joint promotion of
  the World Water Day and the Inter- American Water
  Day
• Others, to be identified.

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3. PAHO/OAS Water-Health Collaboration3.4 Water
Resources Management Practices for Protection of
Human Health Document for Discussion

• HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DOCUMENT
• According to the Global Water Council, over the
  past 100 years, the global population has
  tripled, and the consumption of water has been
  multiplied 6 times
• Out of all global water resources, only 2.5 of
  the total amount is fresh water (suitable for
  human consumption), 69 is in a solid state
  (i.e., polar ice caps), 30 percent is found in
  subterranean reserves (i.e., aquifers), and only
  0.3 is comprised of surface waters (i.e., rivers
  and lakes)

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3. PAHO/OAS Water-Health Collaboration3.4 Water
Resources Management Practices for Protection of
Human Health Document for Discussion

• HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DOCUMENT
• Approximately 60 of the Latin America and the
  Caribbean population is concentrated in 20 of
  the territory--where barely 5 of the water
  resources of the region are concentrated
• It is estimated that 80 of all diseases and more
  than 1/3 of the mortalities in developing
  countries are caused by contaminated water, and
  an average of approximately 10 percent of each
  persons productive time is lost owing to
  water-related sicknesses

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4. World Water Day 20014.1 Background

• The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in
  1993 by which 22 March of each year declared
  World Day for Water, in conformity with UNCEDs
  Agenda 21 recommendations
• States invited to devote the Day, as appropriate
  in the national context, to concrete activities
  such as the promotion of public awareness through
  the publication and diffusion of documentaries
  and the organization of conferences, round
  tables, seminars and expositions related to the
  conservation and development of water resources
  and the implementation of Agenda 21
  recommendations

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4. World Water Day 2001 4.2 WWD Web Page
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4. World Water Day 2001 4.3 Information
available at WWD web site

• Go to http//www.worldwaterday.org, and then
  select from the following links
• What is WWD?
• Advocacy guide
• Disease fact sheets
• Theme articles
• Case studies
• Photo sheets
• Events

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) PAHO
Institutional Vision 5.1 What is it?

• The IAWD is a " water celebration" in the
  Americas, whose primary purpose is to build the
  populations awareness by communicating the
  importance of conserving this valuable natural
  resource we call water
• The creation of the IAWD was promoted by the Pan
  American Health Organization (PAHO), the Inter
  American Association of Sanitary Engineering
  (AIDIS) and the Caribbean Association of Water
  and Waste Water (CWWA)

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) PAHO
Institutional Vision 5.2 When is it celebrated?

• Each year, the IAWD is celebrated during the
  first Saturday of October (This year, the IAWD
  will be celebrated the 7th of October)

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) PAHO
Institutional Vision 5.3 Organizational/Informati
ve Actions

• Guidelines for the members of the initiative
• planning
• relation of themes
• dissemination
• evaluation
• materials
• coordination

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) PAHO
Institutional Vision 5.3 Organizational/Informati
ve Actions

• Participation of the members in the countries
• Creation of coordination groups
• International Coordination Group
• National Coordination Group
• Local Coordination Group

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) PAHO
Institutional Vision 5.3 Organizational/Informati
ve Actions

• Collecting Information Securing supporting
  documents from previous commemorations
• CEPIS Web Page
• Discussion List/Exchange
• Operational Manual
• Support to local initiatives

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) 5.4 Future
IAWDs

• Select 1 country per year to be the flagship
  country
• Work on the themes that promote the equity of
  access and quality of services

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) 5.5
Selection of themes

• Have the theme selected in advance
• Theme 2001 is the same as the theme for the World
  Water Day Bringing the forgotten billions on
  board
• Theme 2002 is open for suggestions from November
  2000 to March 2001

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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) 5.7 IAWD
Web Page at PAHO/CEPIS
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5. Inter American Water Day (IAWD) 5.7 How
to access IAWD Web Page

• Go to the CEPIS Web page at http//www.cepis.ops-o
  ms.org
• 1-Working Areas "Citizen Participation"
• 2-"Commemorative Days"
• 3-First Saturday of October "Inter-American
  Water Day"