Asia's Water Biggest Killer of Children

UN's Asia and Pacific Commission Calls On Governments at Johannesburg Summit to Approve Urgent Action

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- Polluted water and poor sanitation kill two children each minute, according to environmental experts at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific - UN ESCAP.

Most of the victims live in Asia and contaminated water is the single biggest killer of children in Asia, says a senior environmental official at UN ESCAP.

Worldwide, more children have died from the effects of severe diarrhoea, a product of polluted water and poor sanitation, than all the people killed through armed conflicts since World War II.

Growing populations, urbanization, and economic development are placing great pressures on the quantity and quality of Asia's freshwater supply.

Inadequately enforced legislation in recent years as well as ineffective water resource planning, management, and coordination are to blame, according to "State of the Environment in Asia and the Pacific, 2000", a joint publication of UN ESCAP and the Asian Development Bank.

A delegation from UN ESCAP, led by Mr. Kim Hak-Su, UN ESCAP's Executive Secretary, and including Mr. Ravi Sawhney, Chief of UN ESCAP's Environmental and Natural Resources Development Division, as well as Mr. Mohammad A. Khan, Chief, Environment Section, will call on international Government representatives gathering at Johannesburg for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 26 August - 4 September, to implement the necessary measures to tackle this crisis.

"UN ESCAP will do its part to ensure the outcome of Johannesburg 2002 is successfully implemented," Mr. Kim has pledged.

Governments in the UN ESCAP region are aware of the problems. Last November, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, they formulated a regional plan of action to ensure sustainable development*.

One of seven initiatives agreed to by Asian and Pacific members of UN ESCAP for follow-up actions to the WSSD aims to promote a national focus on fostering the integrated management of freshwater resources and basins; improving and expanding the delivery of services, especially to the poor; fostering the conservation of water and increasing system efficiency; promoting regional cooperation and mutually beneficial use of shared water resources within and between countries.

*Details of the Phnom Penh Regional Platform On Sustainable Development For Asia And The Pacific can be found on the UN ESCAP website at: http://www.unescap.org/enrd/environment/Activities/hrm_wssd.htm

For more information please contact:

Mr. Mohammad A. Khan,
Chief, Environment Section, UN ESCAP
(+66) 02 288 1691

or

Mr. David Lazarus,
Chief, United Nations Information Services
(+66) 02 288 1864-9
Email: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

-- End --