NordenBladet — On Thursday 22 March, The Crown Princess attended Discussions on Water at Teater Pero in Stockholm. The discussions were arranged by WaterAid in connection with World Oceans Day.
Discussions on Water began with Cecilia Chatterjee-Martinsen, Secretary-General of WaterAid Sweden, welcoming the attendees. She then led the discussion, in which former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and WaterAid ambassador Jan Eliasson, Country Director of WaterAid Ethiopia Bethlehem Mengistu and actress and WaterAid ambassador Sofia Helin took part.
During the discussion, the speakers gave their perspectives on how clean water is essential in order to combat poverty, strengthen women’s rights and give children the opportunity to go to school.
In connection with World Oceans Day, WaterAid published its global report The Water Gap – The State of the World’s Water 2018external link, opens in new window. The report says that 844 million people currently lack access to clean water, and that 60 percent of the world’s population lives in areas with a shortage of water. The report also explains which countries are suffering the most from the global water crisis. India is the country with the most people who lack clean water: 163 million. Calculated by population percentage, the water crisis is worst in sub-Saharan Africa.
WaterAid
WaterAid is an independent international organisation that strives to improve people’s lives by improving access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene education for the world’s poorest societies. The organisation works with local partners for sustainable, long-term solutions, influencing decision-makers both globally and nationally to prioritise initiatives that meet these basic needs.
The Crown Princess has been a patron of WaterAid since 2011. In her role as patron, she has taken part in various event arranged by WaterAid and has visited WaterAid’s operations in Tanzania.
Source: Swedish Royal Court
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