SWA launched the World Leaders’ ‘Call to Action’ in May 2020, to underscore and prioritize the role of water, sanitation and hygiene at the centre of the global response to COVID-19.
The Call to Action was endorsed by more than 70 global leaders heading national governments, UN and other international organizations, civil society, international finance institutions, private sector, and the academia. It was a rallying cry – focusing minds on the vital role the sector would play, as the world faced its biggest health crisis in living memory.
The Call to Action must be seen as one of the stepping stones to the acceleration of the SGD 6 of the Agenda 2030.
The Call to Action contributed to shaping the narrative and early priorities of the response, and placed the sector firmly centre-stage. Leaders agreed that inequalities must be eliminated, ensuring access to water, sanitation and hygiene for everyone, and prioritizing those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. They agreed to work with all stakeholders in a co-ordinated manner to achieve this goal. They agreed to ensure that water and sanitation systems are resilient and sustainable, in order to protect people’s health and support national health systems, both now and in the future. They agreed to prioritize the mobilization of sector finance to support countries in their crisis responses. And they agreed that delivering accurate information in a transparent manner would be key – providing consistent, rational messaging based on scientific advice.
On the day of the launch, the Call to Action was picked up by The Financial Times, The Economist, The New York Times, Le Monde and El Pais. SWA partners were keen to use the momentum created, and SWA provided advice and a toolkit on how to use the Call to Action at the national level. SWA continues to offer a helpdesk for partners, on how they can best use the platform created by the Call to Action in their communications and advocacy work.
The World Leaders’ Call to Action, and the COVID-19 crisis which prompted it have helped to re-focus the world on the critical urgency of providing equitable access to water, sanitation and hygiene. The SWA Call to Action has increased political will and momentum for the sector at the highest levels across the world – and embedded the human rights to water and sanitation as part of a much broader conversation.