MARCH 22 is World Water Day, dedicated to advocating for the importance of water. This year’s theme, ‘The Answer is in Nature’, aptly focuses on solutions we find in nature to reduce water-related challenges such as floods, droughts and water pollution. The theme is even more compelling in Pakistan where different natural disasters happen frequently.

The 2015 report by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, on watershed rehabilitation and irrigation improvement in Pakistan, states that the country is one of the most water-stressed — only 1,000 cubic meters of water is available per person per year, significantly lower than the required 1,700 cubic meters. It is estimated that by 2020, water availability will further reduce to less than 500 cubic meters per capita per year. If left unattended, Pakistan’s water crisis will worsen in the very near future. This is a call for action for all of us.

A simple act like planting trees can go a long way in conserving water. There are a lot of positive examples to draw from. In Ghotki and Naushero Feroz districts of Sindh, Unicef has worked with schools under its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme to plant over 5000 trees in schools. This has not only created a green environment and prevented wastewater stagnation around the schools, but has also turned children into responsible agents for change within their schools and communities.

Such initiatives are essential for the well-being of our children as by investing in WASH services, we create a conducive learning environment in which they could survive and thrive.

A basic right like water should not contribute towards inequality.

The SDGs, include a target to ensure that everyone has access to safe water by 2030. Also, there is growing recognition that access to safe water is a fundamental human right. It is a legal entitlement for all citizens and the state has a responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to affordable safe water. However, this is not to say that water services should be free for all. People should contribute to the best of their ability to acquire these services.

A lot of progress has been made in Pakistan as more than 80 per cent of households have a drinking water facility inside their houses. However, disparities still exist in access to safe water. For example, only 10pc of the poorest people, living mostly in rural areas, have access to piped water supply. A basic right like water should not be contributing to the growing inequalities.

Unicef and other partners are working alongside federal and provincial governments to bridge this gap and rigorously step up safe water supplies for all. This is achieved by conducting studies to better understand people’s willingness to pay for water and analysing the results to determine different costing models for water services. Studies have shown that the cost of water and sanitation services should not exceed 5pc of a household’s income, meaning water services must not affect people’s capacity to acquire other essential goods and services.

Unicef recognises that investing in water services can be costly, but the cost of not ensuring safe access to drinking water is even higher especially for children. When the schools have clean water, toilets and soap for handwashing, children have a healthy learning environment. It helps keep children healthy; when they drink, bathe and wash their clothes in safe water, they have a better chance of growing up without disease. When women and children have safe water near their homes, they do not have to undertake the long and often dangerous journey to collect it.

The human right to water also identifies security as another challenge. In planning water facilities, physical security of users, especially women in rural areas should be safeguarded. Just as important is ensuring that water points are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Provincial governments are taking positive strides by establishing legal frameworks that clearly articulate rights and obligations with regards to water. Still, more needs to be done to promote pro-poor and non-discriminatory service provision.

The SDGs have raised the bar in terms of how we think about the global challenges we are trying to address. We have a long way to go and it is only through working together that we can overcome those challenges.

Everyone has a role to play, communities need to be empowered to demand for their right to water, just as governments have a responsibility to ensure these facilities are available. Other actors like the private sector and development sector can contribute towards ensuring that this fundamental right is ensured for all.

On this World Water Day, take a stand and act to ensure that water is used wisely in your community.

The writer is Unicef representative in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2018