Agenda
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List of participants

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The workshop on Equitable Access to Water was held on 5-6 July in Paris. The workshop was organized within the programme of work of the Protocol on Water and Health by the Ministry of Health of France, in copperation with the Water Academy and the International Office for Water.

The Protocol on Water and Health includes several provisions on non-discrimination and equity aspects. In particular, article 5 requires that "equitable access to water, adequate in terms both of quantity and of quality, should be provided for all members of the population, especially those who suffer a disadvantage or social exclusion".

To support implementation of these provisions, Parties to the Protocol agreed at their first meeting (Geneva, 17-19 January 2007) to include an activity in their programme of work for 2007-2009 aiming to support access to water and sanitation for poor, vulnerable and socially excluded people.

Under this activity, UNECE countries will exchange information on relevant experience in the region related to: (a) targeted measures to overcome water affordability issues; and (b) solidarity measures to improve access to water and sanitation in rural areas.

The workshop aimed to:

• Work towards a common understanding of the issue of equitable access and exchange views and experience on measures implemented in the UNECE region;
• Examine and finalize a questionnaire aiming at collecting systematic information on existing solidarity mechanisms from all UNECE countries.

On the basis of the information collected through the questionnaire, a document on good practices to enhance solidarity will be prepared for consideration by the Parties at their second meeting.