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Published on: 17/06/2015

Launching the shared principles on how to ensure water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for all, the international organisations seek a fundamental change and intend to align their work to support this. Central in their view are local governments and strong national systems to lead WASH services.

Government Leadership

"Universal access to water and sanitation services can only last with government leadership and political commitment, and when policy makers and service providers are held to account for responsive services that reach all communities", they state in their shared principles.

Speaking on the partnership, IRC's CEO Patrick Moriarty said: "I'm really pleased with this set of shared principles that we at IRC will be using to frame our thinking and doing as we face up to the huge challenge of achieving the SDG target of universal access to water and sanitation. With sector leaders like Water For People, Aguaconsult and WaterAid as co-signatories, I'm hoping that the vision and approach set out in the principles will be appealing and that many others will be keen to join us."

Tremendous global effort

With 1 in 3 people worldwide is still lacking access to a basic toilet and 750 million without clean water, achieving the sustainable development goal on water and sanitation will take a tremendous global effort. The collaborating organisations believe that WASH has a fundamental role in the broader poverty-eradication agenda and are committed to achieving the goal by 2030.


"This target date is non-negotiable if we are to deliver on the internationally agreed SDGs," they state. They call on other sector stakeholders to join them and adopt the principles.

The principles will be presented for discussion during thematic events this year at the World Water Week this August 2015 in Stockholm, and the Water and Health (UNC) conference this October in North Carolina.

Click here for the Shared Principles.  

Editor's notes

About IRC
IRC is an international think-and-do tank that works with governments, NGOs, businesses and people around the world to find long-term solutions to the global crisis in water, sanitation and hygiene services. At the heart of its mission is the aim to move from short-term interventions to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services.

With over 45 years of experience, IRC runs programmes and projects in more than 25 countries and large-scale projects in seven focus countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is supported by a team of over 80 staff across the world.

 Contact details IRC

Vera van der Grift 
T +31 70 3044062 
Email: communications@ircwash.org

 

 

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