On 12th December 2002 "The International Year of Fresh Water" began. This is one of the reasons why I decided to speak to you today on this topic.
And also because without clean water for human consumption it is not possible to reach the Millennium Development Objectives, one of which is: by 2015 to diminish by half the number of persons who live in extreme poverty.
This implies fighting against hunger in the world endured by those who live with less than a dollar a day and all those that suffer hunger.
I am referring to the eight objectives to promote sustainable development globally, accepted in the Millennium Declaration of the UN by the 189 member states in 1990.
At this time, at the end of 2003, and according to the calculations of this world organism, none of the signing governments will be able to reach this goal if they continue the slow pace they have set.
I only mention briefly these objectives: to eradicate extreme poverty and to halve those who are hungry, (which has much to do with our topic of clean water).
Clean water also has much to do with achieving the other stated goals: to promote equality between genders and woman's autonomy; to reduce infant mortality; to improve maternal health; to combat AIDS, malaria and other diseases; to guarantee the quality of the environment and to foment world collaboration for development.
This talk continues on the following Augnet pages. ID2050
J. Jesús Guzmán O.S.A.
