April 21st, 1998

|
Women carrying water in India.
|
NEW YORK, -- The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) and the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) today that commits the two organizations to work
together to seek solutions to the emerging global freshwater crisis.
The formal agreement followed the launch of a joint WWF-UNICEF report
titled "Fresh Water for India's Children and Nature", the result of a
two-year study of local level watersheds in five eco-regions of India.
This research and resulting recommendations are an element in the
evolution of India's national water policy, which is aimed at providing
safe drinking water for millions and the rehabilitation of degraded
freshwater ecosystems.
The joint undertaking comes as the world's governments, working under
the auspices of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), are
negotiating an action plan on freshwater resources. The activity is a
follow-up to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
A workshop this January in New Delhi, organized by UNICEF and WWF
to discuss the draft report, witnessed full participation from six major
ministries from the Indian Government and by leading NGOs, academic
institutions and other stakeholders from society.
Today's Memorandum was signed by Dr Claude Martin, Director General
of WWF and Dr. Sadig Rasheed, Director of the Programme Division of
UNICEF.

|
People at well.
|
"The India experience has inspired both WWF and UNICEF to engage in a
global partnership," Dr. Martin said. "This is an open partnership. The
more countries and governments join in, the better we shall be able to
manage fresh water resources. Greater fresh water security means
less suffering for women and children."
"The crisis in freshwater is a crisis for children," Dr. Rasheed stated.
"Every year more than 2 million children under the age of five die as a
result of unsafe water and poor environmental sanitation. To reduce this
awful toll, UNICEF works to help communities protect and manage their
water resources and environment. Partnerships like this are essential in
the effort."
WWF and UNICEF will undertake joint projects at the local, national and
regional levels to promote sustainable community management of water
resources and to establish the fundamental importance of
overall ecosystem conservation. Emphasis will be placed on
communicating the experiences and lessons learned in developed and
developing countries regarding the management of fresh water
resources.
Policy and programmatic solutions will be proposed. Particular attention
will also be paid to protecting children from water pollution in urban and
rural areas. Household water security will also be addressed along with
the need for environmental rehabilitation.
The Memorandum notes: "As both organizations have a world-wide
mandate and are both represented in a large number of countries, an
initial analysis shall be undertaken jointly to concentrate the resources
and experience of both Parties on a limited number of countries where
the more immediate and serious needs are identified. Initially, one African
country will be selected for co-operation within this Memorandum."
To carry out its programmes, UNICEF and WWF will seek partnerships
with other relevant organizations, including inter-governmental and
non-governmental organizations, development banks, the private sector,
donors, the scientific and academic communities, and other civil society
members.
For more information, please contact:
Stephen Rose,
UNICEF,
Division of Communication,
+1 212 326-7506
Someshwar Singh,
WWF,
+1 212 986-8800/1758 (fax)
or mobile +41 79 310 81 02.