1. Deputy-head of water quality office
World Water Week
Stockholm, 28 August 2016
Protocol on Water and Health (UNECE – WHO/Europe)
Activities on Equitable access to water and sanitation
Yannick Pavageau
Deputy-head of water quality office
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, France

2. There are international obligations to end inequities in access
The General Assembly,
[…]
Acknowledging the importance of equitable access to safe and clean drinking water
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
UN General Assembly resolution 64/292
(2010)
Equitable access to water, adequate in terms of both quantity and quality should be provided for all members of the population, especially those who suffer a disadvantage or social exclusion
Protocol on Water and Health, Article 5 (I)

3. The Protocol on Water and Health
to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
The objective of the Protocol is to protect human health through the improvement of water management , the protection of ecosystems and the prevention, control and reduction of water-related disease
The Protocol was adopted on 17 June 1999 during the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health (London) and entered into force in 2005, becoming legally binding for the ratifying countries
So far, 36 countries have signed and 24 ratified it
- WHO/Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) provide the joint secretariat, coordinating activities for its implementation

4. Strategy and objectives of the Protocol / equitable access
Many governments in the pan-european region are aware of the importance of promoting equitable access to W&S which is a key objective of the Protocol on Water and Health (article 5)
Despite progress already made, it is still necessary to focus on the issue : the Parties to the Protocol agreed to include in the program of work an important activity to facilitate access to W&S
France has brought actions on equitable access to W&S since the 1st Meeting Of the Parties (Geneva, 2007), with a renewed commitment at the 2nd MOP (Bucharest, 2010) and at the 3rd MOP (Oslo, 2013)
The program of work (France-Hungary lead Parties) aimed at :
Analyzing the current situation, sharing of experience and lessons learned at national or local levels, in order to point out best practices
Organizing expert groups meeting, with a project team with UNECE
- The program of work : Fostering the adoption of measures ?

5. Inequities in access need to be fought in at least 3 dimensions
Inequities in access to water and sanitation
Geographical disparities : water resources, WSS infrastructure
Some areas of a country (rural areas, poor urban neighborhoods) have no physical access or have access to lower water quality than other areas
Social disparities : vulnerable and marginalized groups
Within areas with good access, some groups do not have access because they do not have private facilities, the public and institutional facilities they rely on are not adequate, or suffer unintended or intended discrimination
Economic disparities : affordability issues
Within areas with good access, the water and sanitation bill represents a too large share of disposable income for some households

6. Document on good practices “No one left behind”
To provide resources on key policy issues
Ch 1. Challenges of ensuring equitable access to water and sanitation
Ch 2. International commitments to achieve equitable access
Ch 3. Steering water governance frameworks to deliver equitable access
Ch 4. Reducing geographical disparities
Ch 5. Ensuring access for vulnerable and marginalized groups
Ch 6. Keeping water and sanitation affordable for all
Document available in English, French and Russian, and presented at 6th World Water Forum (Marseille, France, 2012)

7. Self-assessment tool “The equitable access score-card”
Can be used by various stakeholders in :
- establishing a baseline & tracking progress
prompting discussions on further actions needed to achieve equitable access to W&S
Usefull tool for
consensual assessment & objective debate
high accuracy on current situation with a broader understanding of the issues on equitable access and an assessment of the existence of devices, their lacks and their efficiency
Document available in English, French, Russian + 5 langages, and presented at 7th World Water Forum (Daegu, Korea, 2015)

8. Use of an analytical tool, the Equitable access score-card
contains recommendations on how to plan for self-assessment exercices
was developped by an expert-group in and tested through 3 pilots projects in France (Greater Paris Area), Portugal and Ukraine
is useful to identify inequities and to support the development of action plans to adress the identified equity gaps
is an official document of the Protocol since the 3rd Meeting of the Parties (Oslo, November 2013)
has been applied in the Republic of Moldova in 2014, in Hungary (October 2014-March 2016), in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (April 2015-January 2016), in Azerbaïdjan (started in September 2015) and in Armenia (started in December 2015)
was discussed during Expert groups on Equitable access to W&S
Paris, Ministry of health, 2015 & Geneva, Palais des Nations, 2016

9. Workshop on achieving equitable access to W&S
From assessment to action (Geneva, May 2016)
brought together 60 experts working in the W&S sector as well as other sectors such as environment, education, health, regional development and social protection, to exchange experiences in achieving equitable access to W&S in the pan-European region and beyond
was organized by UNECE in cooperation with OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) and the French Ministry of Health
allowed to discuss about 3 main issues :
1- priority gaps and actions needed to achieve equitable access to W&S, as well as the role of key actors to be engaged for their effective implementation
2- possible ways to integrate actions to achieve equitable access into water and non-water sector s policy processes and plans
3- project of a 3rd official document to the Protocol : Draft strategic note on the development of action plans to ensure equitable access

10. Merci pour votre attention Thank you for your attention
World Water Week
Stockholm, 28 August 2016
Merci pour votre attention
Thank you for your attention
Crédit photo : ARS Océan Indien