Water is a precious resource that must be used responsibly and wisely. As a matter of fact, it’s actually essential for survival in many cases: clean water, toilets and good hygiene practices are essential for the survival and development of children.
In spite of this, approximately 663 million people worldwide have no access to safe water sources or clean water. This affects small children in particular: contaminated drinking water and unhygienic living conditions pose a fatal risk to them, because they can cause diseases amongst other things. Approximately 800 children die every day from preventable diseases, which have been caused by contaminated water.
Pooled expertise
World Water Day on 22 March serves as a reminder that access to clean water is a human right and is part of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Gardena and UNICEF will be starting their long-term partnership on this day with the primary aim of providing approximately 150,000 people with access to clean drinking water over the next three years.
Both partners are pooling their expertise: for over 50 years, Gardena has been one of the leading manufacturers of intelligent and innovative products and systems for garden care and watering. UNICEF is the leading aid organisation for water provision and hygiene in emergency situations: for many years, the United Nations Children’s Fund has been working around the world to improve water and sanitation services, as well as basic hygiene practices – specifically for particularly deprived families in the poorest countries of the world.
Supporting the work of UNICEF around the world
Within the framework of the partnership, Gardena is making a significant contribution towards supporting UNICEF’s global “WASH” programmes (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). Within the scope of WASH, UNICEF ensures that village communities, such as those in African countries like Ethiopia or South Sudan, have access to water, for example. Schools are provided with sanitary facilities to enable as many children as possible to attend school.
In emergency situations or following natural disasters, UNICEF transports thousands of litres of water to refugee camps every day, provides hospitals with support, and ensures that water and sanitation systems are repaired. Over the past three years, UNICEF has helped to provide more than 49 million needy people around the world with access to clean water.
The partnership between Gardena and UNICEF is a reflection of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. One aim of the SDGs is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation services for all people by 2030.
Quotes
UNICEF quote provided by: Christian Schneider, Executive Director of UNICEF Germany
“GARDENA and UNICEF – it’s just a match. After all, we have both been committed to the meaningful use of water as a resource for many years. Together we want to make a difference and the challenges for disadvantaged children are great. Unfortunately, contaminated water and poor hygiene are still among the leading causes of child mortality worldwide. We at UNICEF are looking forward to the upcoming partnership and to working with such a strong partner to tackle these challenges.”
GARDENA quote provided by: Pär Åström, President of Gardena:
“Water is a precious resource that requires careful handling. That’s why we’re helping garden owners to water their plants as efficiently as possible with our products. UNICEF are doing invaluable work to address the severe problems with the supply of vital drinking water in many parts of the world. We want to support this as part of our corporate responsibility strategy. World Water Day 2018 marks the beginning of a long-term partnership.”