Water for Life Decade

The United Nations General Assembly, in December 2003, proclaimed the years 2005-2015 as the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life'. Its primary goal is to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water related issues . In the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In March 2019, the United Nations General Assembly declared the years 2018-2028 as the Water Action Decade.[1][2]

In order to help to achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, and in Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit of Sustainable Development (WSSD) the Decade focuses on water-related issues at all levels and on the implementation of programmes and projects, and the furtherance of cooperation at all levels.

During the first UN Decade on Water from 1981–1990, it is estimated that more than a billion people gained access to safe drinking water.[3]

The primary goal of the 'Water for Life' Decade is to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015.

These commitments include the Millennium Development Goals to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015 and to stop unsustainable exploitation of water resources. At the World Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, two other goals were adopted: to aim to develop integrated water resource management and water efficiency plans by 2005 and to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation.

World Water Day, 22 March 2005, marked the official commencement of the 'Water for Life' Decade.

  1. ^ "2018-2028 International Decade for Action, 'Water for Sustainable Development' | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". www.unesco.org. 21 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  2. ^ "A/C.2/71/L.12/Rev.1 - E - A/C.2/71/L.12/Rev.1". undocs.org. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  3. ^ Opoku–Agyemang, Lovelace (October 21, 2005). "60 years of United Nations existence; What next?". Archived from the original on December 25, 2005.