A Regional Initiative for Monitoring Access to Water Supply and Sanitation Beyond 2015 Mohamed I. Al-Hamdi UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia – ESCWA Arab Water Week – New Prospects and Challenges for the Water Sector in the Arab Region Amman, Jordan – January 2013

Outline  Current water and sanitation MDG  Progress achieved »At the Global level »At the Arab “Regional” level  Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 »Shortcomings of the current “goal-indicator system” »Water and sanitation as a human right »MDG+ initiative  Reflections

Current water and sanitation MDG Goal 7 Ensure Environmental Sustainability Target 7-C Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation Indicator 7.8 Proportion of population using an improved drinking water source Indicator 7.9 Proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility Target 7-A Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources Indicator 7.5 Proportion of total water resources used

Access to improved drinking water source –Definition of “improved water source” “By the nature of their construction or through active intervention, are protected from outside contamination, particularly from faecal matter.” Unprotected dug wells, springs, tanker truck, surface water (river, dam, lake, pond, stream, canal, irrigation channel) and bottled water. Unimproved public taps or standpipes, tube wells, protected dug wells, springs, and rainwater collection cisterns. Other Improved Piped house connections. Improved Classification of Water Supply Indicators

Access to improved Sanitation facility –Definition of “Improved sanitation facility” “Facilities that ensure hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact.” Defecation in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water, or disposal of human faeces with solid waste. Open defecation Pit latrines without slab or platform, hanging latrines and bucket latrines Unimproved Acceptable type, but shared between two or more households (incl. public toilets) Shared (improved or unimproved) Flush or pour flush toilet/latrine to: piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine Ventilated improved pit latrine Composting toilet Improved Classification of Sanitation Indicators Observation Protection of public health from water born and water related diseases is the main rationale behind the water and sanitation MDG.

Progressed Achieved (1)  At the Global Level “ The MDG drinking water target, which…….., was met in 2010, five years ahead of schedule.” ……….”the world is unlikely to meet the MDG sanitation target.” (JMP 2012 biennial progress report)  2 billion gained access to improved water sources and 1.8 billion gained access to improved sanitation facilities ( ). BUT,  Regional “hot spots” i.e. Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania.  Large urban-rural disparities and inequalities.  Water quality.

Progressed Achieved (2)  At the Arab “Regional” level  Improved sanitation coverage increased from 72% to 82% ( ).  Improved drinking water coverage increased from 81% to 82% ( ).  Significant inequalities in the use of improved sanitation facilities between urban and rural areas in Arab States.  The Arab region is ON TRACK to achieve the sanitation target.  The Arab region is OFF TRACK to achieve the drinking water target.

Progressed Achieved (3)

Progressed Achieved (4)

Progressed Achieved (5)

Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 (1)  Rio +20 Conference  Intergovernmental Working Group tasked to design SDGs.  Secretary General Appointed a HLP to advise on the global development agenda beyond  Water – not high in the Rio Agenda.  Water and Sanitation Vs. IWRM.  “Water Community” Want a “standalone goal on water”? ….. The notion of water as crosscutting !!  JMP – UNECIF/WHO  Created a discussion platform that:  Critically reviews current shortcomings, and  Aim to reach consensus on a “menu of options for global WASH goals and corresponding targets and indicators for considerations by UN member states…”

Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 (2)  Shortcomings of the use of the proxy indicator “improved”:  Water Quality  Reliability  Affordability  Sustainability  Accessibility  Equality

Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 (3)  Water and sanitation as a Human Right General Assembly Resolution 64/292 (July 2010): “1. Recognizes the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights” Human Rights Council resolution 15/9 (October 2010): “3. Affirms that the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation is derived from the right to an adequate standard of living and inextricably related to the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, as well as the right to life and human dignity;” Human Rights Council resolution 18/1 (October 2011): “7. Calls upon States: a) To continuously monitor and regularly analyze the status of the realization of the right to safe drinking water and sanitation on the basis of the criteria of availability, quality, acceptability, accessibility and affordability; c) To develop comprehensive plans and strategies, including the definition of responsibilities for all water and sanitation sector actors, to achieve progressively the full realization of the right to safe drinking water and sanitation for all, or re-examine and revise them where necessary to ensure consistency with human rights standards and principles;”

Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 (4) MDG+ Initiative  Mandate  Three resolutions of the Arab Ministerial Water Council.  Aim  Enhance monitoring not develop new goal.  Scope  Level and quality of access and services.  Environmental protection.  Indicators  Expand on current JMP indicators to include issues like; availability, quality, affordability, and environmental protection.  Data availability and measurability.  Efficiency (maximum additional information in relation to needed efforts).  Phasing.

Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 (5)

Water and Sanitation in the global development Agenda Beyond 2015 (6) Vision for implementing the MDG+ Initiative  At the National level  National Monitoring Teams (representation of concerned agencies).  At the Regional level  Arab Ministerial Water Council - political coverage.  Advisory Board (ESCWA, ACWUA, CEDARE, RAED, AWC).  Data management system (MDG+ unit) - ACWUA.  Technical and institutional support - ESCWA and ACWUA.  At the Global Level  Financial support – Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Reflections  Water (management/services) is cross cutting, and impacts (directly or indirectly) other social and economic sectors (education, health, economy, etc..)  A conceptual framework of the post 2015 water & sanitation MDG/SDG is underway and will probably be governed by:  The official global recognition of water and sanitation as a human right, and,  The crosscutting nature and role of water in achieving sustainable development.  Evidence indicate that the current proxy indicator “improved” will probably loose some of its presumptions in favor for more tangible, but costly to monitor, indicators of reliability, water quality, sustainability, equality, accessibility and affordability.  The MDG+ initiative/project is an opportunity to harmonize national monitoring systems with the global trend and assist to enhance capacities at the national level.

Thanks for your attention … Mohamed Al-Hamdi Water Resources Section Sustainable Development and Productivity Division UN-ESCWA Tel: Fax: Web: