Picture: 

Aug 26, 2012: Representatives from across WaterAid have come together in Sweden's beautiful capital city to join thousands of key players from the water and sanitation sector at the annual Stockholm World Water Week.
 
The week is such a significant event in the water and sanitation calendar that the atmosphere is buzzing even on the train to the event, which is packed full of delegates who have come from all over the world. As well as joining the wide-ranging discussions on the major issues and trends affecting the sector, we've set up a stand presenting our latest projects to the people attending from NGOs, civil society, government and private sector.

Among the publications on offer are the two new WaterAid reports being launching at the global event. These are:

1. Addressing the shortfall: The urgent need for increased and better targeted aid to the water and sanitation sector. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of global aid flows to water and sanitation over the last decade, and calls for increased financing that is better targeted, as current spending by donor and developing countries falls well short of what is required for national and international commitments to be met. 

The report, published in coordination with Development Initiatives, shows that:
• Funding for WASH is dropping in proportion to other aid spending – this trend should be reversed. Across sub-Saharan Africa, water and sanitation aid equates to only $2.39 per person per year, over the three years from 2008-2010.
• Water and sanitation aid should go to the poorest communities where the need is greatest. However, currently aid is not being well-targeted. Between 2008 and 2010 the 27 countries accounting for 90% of diarrhoeal deaths (primarily caused by dirty water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene), received only 39% of water and sanitation aid.
• Between 2002 and 2010, an average of 30% of funds committed by donors to increase access to water and sanitation services was not disbursed. The total shortfall of $17 billion is equivalent to more than two years of the total aid flow on water and sanitation, and reflects either a failure of donors to follow through on committed financing or a systemic problem in the ways in which volumes of aid are reported. Read Report

2. Our Water security framework, providing guidance on improving access to clean, safe water at a community-level. It also highlights the fact that clean water, sanitation and improved hygiene impact on livelihoods, the environment and agriculture. As a result, there is little hope of achieving food security and overall wellbeing without ensuring water security at a local level. Read Report

Also Read:

• Water security is essential for food security