World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater. This year's "Water and Climate Change" theme indicates why it is important to take action right now.
Water and climate change is the theme for celebrating World Water Day 2020 at a time when access to sufficient and safe water for all to meet sustainable development goals by 2030 remains a major challenge in an increasingly critical global climate context.
" I call on all stakeholders to increase climate action and invest in robust adaptation measures for water sustainability. By limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the world will be in a much better position to manage and solve the water crisis that we all face. » (António Guterres, UN Secretary General)
The Water ChangeMaker Awards are a new initiative that seeks to highlight experiences in the way water decisions have built climate resilience. The initiative was launched on World Water Day 2020, March 22.
Dental fluorosis affects many people in the water-stressed Far North Region of Cameroon. The disease is mainly caused by excess fluoride in groundwater; a principal source of drinking water in the water stressed region. Affected people are stigmatized with women and girls, bearing the greater burden of the social stigma.
Since 2018, GWP-Cameroon has been working to change the misconceptions about this disease and pilot the research to reduce fluoride in the groundwater using a household filter adapted with charred cow bones.
This documentary tells the story of stigmatization through the eyes of affected victims and resonates a message of hope to the community, through GWP's work to improve groundwater quality.
