The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a set of 8 goals set by the United Nations in the year 2000 to relieve poverty and the suffering it causes in poor developing nations.

8. Develop a global partnership for development.

In 2008, as we reach the half-way mark, we are, unfortunately, no where near half way toward achieving the goals. Water Advocates has stated that if access to clean water and sanitation were available to all, we would would be closer to meeting every one of the goals by at least 30%.

The MDGs and Water:

1. How can people grow crops without water?

2. How can girls attend school if they have to spend their days hauling water?

3. When women are raped on the way to a distant well far from the safety of their villages, it is highly unlikely that they will feel empowered.

4. More children under 5 die from water-borne diseases than any other cause.

5. After giving birth, women are prone to infections. Bathing in contaminated water increases the risks of infection.

6. No amount of medication will help a patient with HIV/AIDS or malaria if they are washing down their pills with filthy water contaminated with human and animal waste. And bed-nets are great at night, but mosquitos swarm around the murky ponds where women get water - often with babies on their backs.

7. When people are forced to boil their water, they often must cut down trees to make fire. Deforestation decreases gentle rainfall and contributes to global warming.

8. How can we say we are helping a country become 'developed' without first assuring that everyone has the most basic necessity of life?

"Water is life. Water should be first." - Charles Banda, Founder, Freshwater Project Malawi

HART PRODUCTIONS PO Box 286588, New York, NY 10128-0006 USA
518-221-0163