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STORY: GENEVA / WATER AND SANITATION
TRT: 2:17
SOURCE: WHO / FILE
RESTRICTIONS: EMBARGOED UNTIL 0501 GMT / 0001 EST - NEW YORK TIME
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 AND 14 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
RECENT – GENEVA
1. Wide shot, exterior World Health Organization Headquarters
11 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Amanda Marlin, Programme Manager, Advocacy and Communications, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council:
“This is a report that tells us about the money that is being spent on water, sanitation and hygiene, it also gives us information about policies that are in place, and how countries are doing in terms of their progress increasing sanitation, access to drinking water and hygiene.”
FILE – UNTV - NEPAL, DECEMBER 2013
3. Various shots, children drinking water
14 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“If we have looked at the findings of this report, we have found that now, more than ever, the world wants water and sanitation for everybody. The figures are suggesting that countries spending more on water and sanitation than ever before, aid is an all-time high, and over the last two decades we have seen about 2.3 billion people gain access to water. “
FILE – UNTV - NEPAL, DECEMBER 2013
5. Wide shot, rural area
6. Various shots, outdoor toilet
14 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“We know that 9 out of 10 people that are drinking water are living in rural areas and in this report we looked at expenditures and only a handful of countries that are investing in this are putting money towards rural areas, more than urban areas, so it is kind of going in the wrong direction.”
FILE – UNTV - NEPAL, DECEMBER 2013
8. Wide shot, school children running to restrooms
14 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“What is most concerning for WHO and all our partners is that inequalities are not being reduced. For example, if we look at sanitation, and we look at open defecation where we have no choice but to go to the bathroom in bushes, by their house and communities, we are seeing that funding is not going to sanitation, it is going to drinking water.”
FILE – UNTV - INDIA, JANUARY 2014
10. Wide shot, school girls queueing at the restroom door
11. Close up, toilets
14 NOVEMBER 2014, GENEVA
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“As WHO we are encouraging countries to get those monitoring systems in place, so that the decision makers are aware of where their vulnerable groups are, whether money is getting to those areas and whether there is impacts so they can make course corrections.”
FILE – UNTV - INDIA, JANUARY 2014
13. Wide shot, children pumping water
14. Close up, girl drinking water
A new World Health Organization’s report says global efforts to provide improved water and sanitation for all are gaining momentum, but serious gaps in funding continue to hamper progress. According the WHO, 2.5 billion men, women and children around the world lack access to basic sanitation services.
The UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS 2014), published biannually, presents data from 94 countries and 23 external support agencies. It offers a comprehensive analysis of strengths and challenges in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) provision within and across countries.
SOUNDBITE (English) Amanda Marlin, Programme Manager, Advocacy and Communications, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council:
“This is a report that tells us about the money that is being spent on water, sanitation and hygiene, it also gives us information about policies that are in place, and how countries are doing in terms of their progress increasing sanitation, access to drinking water and hygiene.”
Two thirds of the 94 countries surveyed recognized drinking-water and sanitation as a universal human right in national legislation. More than 80% reported having national policies in place for drinking-water and sanitation, and more than 75% have policies for hygiene.
SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“If we have looked at the findings of this report, we have found that now, more than ever, the world wants water and sanitation for everybody. The figures are suggesting that countries spending more on water and sanitation than ever before, aid is an all-time high, and over the last two decades we have seen about 2.3 billion people gain access to water. “
While a vast majority of people who lack access to basic sanitation live in rural areas, the bulk of financing continues to benefit urban residents. Expenditures for rural sanitation comprise less than 10% of total WASH financing.
SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“We know that 9 out of 10 people that are drinking water are living in rural areas and in this report we looked at expenditures and only a handful of countries that are investing in this are putting money towards rural areas, more than urban areas, so it is kind of going in the wrong direction.”
According to the report, 2.5 billion men, women and children around the world lack access to basic sanitation services. About 1 billion people continue to practice open defecation. An additional 748 million people do not have ready access to an improved source of drinking-water. And hundreds of millions of people live without clean water and soap to wash their hands, facilitating the spread of diarrhoeal disease, the second leading cause of death among children under five.
SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“What is most concerning for WHO and all our partners is that inequalities are not being reduced. For example, if we look at sanitation, and we look at open defecation where we have no choice but to go to the bathroom in bushes, by their house and communities, we are seeing that funding is not going to sanitation, it is going to drinking water.”
Many water-borne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis, are prone to explosive outbreaks. Poor sanitation and hygiene can also lead to debilitating diseases affecting scores of people in the developing world, like intestinal worms, blinding trachoma and schistosomiasis.
SOUNDBITE (English) Bruce Gordon, WHO Coordinator, Water, Sanitation and Health, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health:
“As WHO we are encouraging countries to get those monitoring systems in place, so that the decision makers are aware of where their vulnerable groups are, whether money is getting to those areas and whether there is impacts so they can make course corrections.”
Though international aid for the WASH sector has increased, national funding needs continue to outweigh available resources. Eighty per cent (80%) of countries reported that current levels of financing are insufficient to meet their targets for drinking-water and sanitation.
