PHOTO: Rep Vicent Willie (2nd from right) at just ended World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal
A member of the Liberian House of Representative, Vincent S.T. Willie has called on the International Community, especially the United Nations to establish a global platform for water.
He said the UN must work with member states to establish an international convention like the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The Liberian lawmaker was speaking at a lunch meeting in Dakar Senegal, as part of the 9th World Water Forum.
The Grand Bassa District #4 lawmaker, who represents Wee Statutory District, argued that such global gathering will bring together participants from every horizon, including political and economic decision-makers, multilateral institutions, academia, civil society and the private sector to find solutions to global water issues.
“If the UN can say today we have a resolution on climate, why don’t we have a resolution today on water?” ask Rep added “if we will have a general assembly…say legislators from all across round will meet and discuss only water,” he said.
Rep. Willie believes this will not just help “make popular” discussion around water and sanitation but that it also can help strengthen the capacity of UN member states to address water needs of their citizens
Representative Willie also pleased with legislative bodies across Africa to establish what he calls legislative WASH Caucuses that develop laws and policies that can bring together a diversity of shared knowledge, raise awareness for water issues among political, social and economic decision makers based on shared knowledge, align activities toward a common agenda, and create collective action to reach shared goals, notably but not limited to the Sustainable Development Goals.
At the 9th World Water Forum Liberia was represented by Representative Vicent Willie- co-chair of WASH legislative caucus; CEO of the National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Commission, Bobby Whitfield; a representative from Civil Society, Timothy Kpeh and other representatives from the Liberia Water and Sewage Corporation (LWSC).
Liberia’s delegation was able to launch a parliamentary handbook on water, hygiene and sanitation which highlights the role parliamentarians can play to improve access to water and sanitation as part of sharing Liberia’s experience in creating a body with the National Legislature of Liberia with the sole responsibility of promoting the issues surrounding water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The Liberian government is said to have taken the initiative to accelerate the delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in the country. A coordinated, comprehensive, and well-targeted investment program to increase safe water coverage and reduce diseases is being implemented.
Liberia is abundant in rivers, rainforests, mangroves and swamps, Liberia is one of the wettest countries in the world. But it lacks in infrastructure and services to reach everyone with safe drinking water.
According to UNICEF, sanitation is very poor, with the vast majority of people in rural areas lacking decent toilets and latrines, and having to defecate in the open instead.
About 42 per cent of Liberia population practice open defecation, according to the Joint Monitoring Program report 2017.
It further adds that, “less than 10 per cent of Liberians have access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services, according to the JMP 2017”.