Speaking at the UN General Assembly debate on “Water, Sanitation and Sustainable Energy” on the 18th, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pointed out that the international community is currently working to plan and define the global development agenda after the “UN Millennium Development Goals” expire in 2015. Eliminating extreme poverty and ensuring sustainable development are generally considered to be the most urgent priorities. However, ensuring access to safe drinking water, sanitation and energy for all is also crucial and must be given a prominent place in the post-2015 development agenda.
Ban Ki-moon pointed out, “In the world’s poorest communities, hundreds of millions of people, especially women and children, spend hours every day gathering firewood and carrying water. But unclean water and indoor air pollution cause enormous harm to their health. At the same time, the lack of sanitation facilities poses a further threat to health, dignity and development. There are currently about 2.5 billion people in the world without adequate sanitation facilities, and at least one billion people are forced to defecate in the open. Therefore, we must pay close attention to issues related to people’s well-being, such as safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, and sustainable energy, in our post-2015 development agenda.”
Ban Ki-moon stated that the global population has now exceeded 7 billion and continues to grow. By 2030, the world needs to increase food production by 35% on top of current levels, while freshwater and energy demands will increase by 40% and 50%, respectively. Therefore, countries must develop coordinated and comprehensive policies and innovative strategies to address the severe challenges of water, energy, and sanitation shortages. He called on countries to improve drinking water quality, enhance water source and wastewater management, encourage business participation in community sanitation and water supply improvement projects, strengthen sanitation services, reduce the impact of poor water use and sanitation on impoverished populations, especially slum dwellers, and continuously improve energy efficiency by increasing the proportion of renewable and green energy. He stated that the United Nations will provide full support and assistance in this regard.
Coincidentally, a 17-year-old African boy named Ludwick Marishane discovered the numerous threats posed by water scarcity to the lives of people in developing countries. After continuous research, he successfully developed DryBath® gel. Its usage is simple: just squeeze out the gel and rub it into your body. If dirt is removed, wipe it away with a damp cloth. After cleansing, the remaining gel in the packaging can be used as a moisturizing cream. Through social marketing, Headboy Industries Inc. designated the second weekend of July each year as "No Shower Weekend," hoping to raise awareness of water conservation. In developed countries, the average person uses 80 liters of water per shower; therefore, by not showering on Saturday and Sunday, an average of 160 liters of water can be saved per person.
The primary purpose of the "No Shower Weekend" is to help people understand the plight of 2 billion people worldwide who lack access to bathing water, which can even affect their health. For example, women and children sacrifice a significant amount of time that could be spent working or studying in order to fetch water from distant places. Another example is trachoma, which causes blindness in 8 million people each year, a disease that can be prevented simply by washing one's face regularly.
Sources: United Nations News (2014-02-18) & Social Enterprise Flow (2014-02-18) (Compiled by PIDC)
