Our survival is at stake!
Source: Norwegian Church Aid - Norway
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The fight for water should take
human rights dimensions if we are to stop privatisation and ensure access to all, says Norwegian Church Aid's Gaim Kebreab.
Speaking at a seminar on water and climate change at the World Social Forum Monday, Kebreab, who is Norwegian Church Aid's senior adviser for Economic, Political and Social Rights, said that the fight for water must to be given high prominence and treated as a human rights issue.
"The fight for improved access to water and against the privatisation of water must assume human rights dimensions if we are to succeed," he said.
According to Kebreab, the struggle to secure access to water for as many people as possible will not be fulfilled if governments, especially in the South, continue to privatise this scarce resource.
"People should tell their governments to stop the privatisation of water through policies that are drawn up by the World Bank and the IMF," he said.
Grace Akumu from Climate Network Africa added that the survival of many people was at stake if governments and their citizens are not included in the process of addressing climate change issues.
"Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro and other mountains that used to serve as water sources are loosing their snow at a pace that is threatening our very survival as people of East Africa," she said.
The following Norwegian Church Aid staff are present at the World Social Forum in Nairobi:
For more information:
Speaking at a seminar on water and climate change at the World Social Forum Monday, Kebreab, who is Norwegian Church Aid's senior adviser for Economic, Political and Social Rights, said that the fight for water must to be given high prominence and treated as a human rights issue.
"The fight for improved access to water and against the privatisation of water must assume human rights dimensions if we are to succeed," he said.
According to Kebreab, the struggle to secure access to water for as many people as possible will not be fulfilled if governments, especially in the South, continue to privatise this scarce resource.
"People should tell their governments to stop the privatisation of water through policies that are drawn up by the World Bank and the IMF," he said.
Grace Akumu from Climate Network Africa added that the survival of many people was at stake if governments and their citizens are not included in the process of addressing climate change issues.
"Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro and other mountains that used to serve as water sources are loosing their snow at a pace that is threatening our very survival as people of East Africa," she said.
The following Norwegian Church Aid staff are present at the World Social Forum in Nairobi:
- Gunstein Instefjord, Head of Department for Development Policy, tel.: (+47) 905 96 780
- Odd H. Evjen, Regional Representative, Eastern Africa, tel.: (+255) 733 609 936
- Gaim Kebreab, Senior Advisor, Economic, Political and Social Rights, tel.: (+47) 932 42 479
- Therese Vangstad, Advisor for Political Matters, tel.: (+47) 982 46 433
- Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt, Advisor for Debt Matters, tel.: (+47) 920 66 025
- Isaiah Kipyegon, Regional Advocacy and Communications Officer, tel.: (+254) 723 938 133
For more information:
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