WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 21, 2005 -- Water Advocates today announced its launch as a non-profit advocacy group focused on increasing funding and raising public awareness for people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Around the world in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Small Island Developing States, more than 1.1 billion people lack safe, affordable and sustainable drinking water and 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation. Each day 3,900 children die mostly preventable deaths due to unsafe drinking water. Roughly 80% of the developing world's diseases stem from waterborne illnesses or inadequate sanitation. Safe drinking water not only saves lives; it also has a direct positive impact on poverty alleviation, educational opportunities for all, economic development, and gender equality. Where there is a chronic shortage of safe water, people's time and energy are spent fetching water for survival rather than on attending school, increasing economic development, and enjoying time with their family and community.
"Each year between two and five million people worldwide die from lack of safe water and sanitation. Given this dire situation, the creation of a US-based advocacy group is long overdue," said David Douglas, president of Water Advocates. "We know what the problem is and we have the knowledge and resources to save millions of lives -- we simply need to extend water to those without it. Water Advocates and other U.S. nonprofits can make enormous strides in helping solve this worldwide crisis by informing the public and ensuring that funding is available for more projects."
Water Advocates does not implement water projects or ask for funding for itself from the general public. Rather its mission is to advocate on behalf of those lacking safe, affordable, and sustainable supplies of drinking water and to raise general funding and awareness of this challenge.
While countries are ultimately responsible for providing their own water, Water Advocates works with civic organizations, businesses, faith-based organizations, traditional philanthropies, and the US government to complement the work of developing countries and to hasten the provision of safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities. Water Advocates encourages these groups and the American public to participate by encouraging their elected officials to support water and sanitation assistance, through direct involvement in implementing water projects, or through donations to a charity of their choice.
Water Advocates' founding Board of Directors -- with organizations listed for purposes of identification only -- includes: David Douglas (Waterlines), Peter Lochery (CARE), Stephen Turner (WaterAid) , Steve Werner (Water for People), Gary White (WaterPartners International).
Further information can be obtained at www.wateradvocates.org.
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