The information on this site is subject to a disclaimer and a copyright notice . A strengthened focus on poverty reduction includes the development of social policies encapsulating access to water together with health, education and food security. These words are taken from the Development policy framework recently adopted by the Commission. At the international level, increasing access to safe water and stopping the unsustainable exploitation of water resources are targets in the UN Milleniums Declaration. These references demonstrate how much water is at the heart of many priorities in development cooperation activities, particularly towards the main goal of poverty alleviation.
Water is a scarce resource, key for life of the people and the nature of our planet.
Water for the people is first a health issue and a primary target of poverty alleviation. The concept of water security has been emphasised by The World Water Forum in March 2000. At the household level it consists of providing a sustainable and equitable access to safe water at an affordable price. Ensuring sustainable services must take account of the need to protect access for the poorest. Also, in order to achieve health objectives, the provision of safe water has to be combined with adequate sanitation and the necessary hygiene education.