Accessing Water

Accessing Safe Water

Zimbabwe Water and Sanitation Sector HIV/AIDS Response: Programme, Strategies and Guidelines

Source:
Zimbabwe. 2004. National Action Committee. Government of Zimbabwe. United Nations Children’s Fund

Summary:
The Water and Sanitation sector, Zimbabwe, acknowledges the need for a multi-sectoral approach towards addressing HIV/AIDS, the direct impact it has in the fight against the disease, and its potential to improve the lives of millions. Access to safe drinking water and a sanitary means of human excreta disposal are basic human rights essential to human development and poverty alleviation. Accordingly, the Government of Zimbabwe and its partners have expended substantial effort towards improving sanitation conditions over the past 20 years. The HIV/AIDS pandemic threatens these gains and the fabric of society. Mechanisms need to be implemented to address water and sanitation directly; as more people fall below the poverty line, more environments conducive to the spread of HIV/AIDS will emerge, increasing the urgency for new strategies to help fight the disease.

Source:
Wegelin-Schuringa M, Kamminga E, de Graaf S. 2003. Harvey P, ed. Towards the Millenium Development Goals, 29th International Conference, Abuja, Nigeria: WED

Summary:
For the Water and Sanitation sector, the HIV/AIDS epidemic jeopardizes the Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people who are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water, as well as the benchmark set at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg to halve the number of people without access to improved sanitation. So far, the response of the water and sanitation sector to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been limited; this article aims to explain the links between the sector and prevention and mitigation of HIV/AIDS, and the implications of HIV/AIDS on sector performance. In many affected countries, there is or will be a negative impact on the quantity and quality of services provided by the sector; budgets will be reduced because of a decreased tax base; sector staff performance will decline as a result of diminishing productivity and capacity; and community capacity to operate and maintain the systems will be reduced.

Source:
Ashton P, Ramasar V. 2002. Turton A, Henwood R, eds. Hydropolitics in the Developing World: A Southern African Perspective. Pretoria, African Water Issues Research Unit, 217–238

Summary:
This book challenges the prevailing hydropolitics literature, which is biased in favour of international river basins where conflict is high, as this is inappropriate in Southern Africa. The point of departure is a new definition of hydropolitics as being a study of the authoritative allocation of values in society with respect to water. Emerging from this are two key elements - scale and range. In this regard, the new definition of hydropolitics incorporates all levels in society where values are allocated to water in an authoritative manner. Similarly, the complex and interconnected nature of water issues is reflected as the element of range. Chapter 16 addresses some considerations in regards to water and HIV/AIDS.