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Sustainable Development Goal 6

Sustainable Development Goal 6 declares the importance of achieving "clean water and sanitation for all". It is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly to succeed the former Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). According to the United Nations, the overall goal is to: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all." The goal has eight targets to be achieved by 2030 covering the main areas of water supply and sanitation and sustainable water resource management. Progress toward the targets will be measured by using eleven indicators.

Background
The United Nations (UN) has determined that access to clean water and sanitation facilities is a fundamental human right. However, only a few countries have written the human right to water into enforceable legislation creating serious problems for people wishing to use legal means to promote better access. Even in those countries, such as South Africa, with a clear constitutional commitment to the human right to water and sanitation it has proven difficult to obtain legal redress. A review of the progress by the UN in 2020 found that "increasing donor commitments to the water sector will remain crucial to make progress towards Goal 6". ==Targets, indicators and progress==
Targets, indicators and progress
. This target has one indicator: Indicator 6.1.1 is the "Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services". Target 6.2: End open defecation and provide access to sanitation and hygiene The full title of Target 6.2 is: "By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations." This target has one indicator: Indicator 6.2.1 is the "Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water". This will require cooperation between governments, civil society and the private sector. Report from 2019 for Target 6.1 and 6.2 Targets 6.1 and 6.2 are usually reported on together because they are both part of the WASH sector and have the same custodian agency, the Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP). Drinking water (Target 6.1) The report said that in 2017, 5.3 billion people—representing 71% of the population of the world—used a "safely managed drinking-water service—one that is "located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination". From 2000 to 2017, the global population that lacked access to clean water decreased from nearly 20% to roughly 10%. This number had reduced in 2020 to 673 million persons who practised open defecation. • Indicator 6.3.1: Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated • Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality The current status for Indicator 6.3.2 is that: "Preliminary estimates from 79 mostly high- and higher-middle income countries in 2019 suggest that, in about one quarter of the countries, less than half of all household wastewater flows were treated safely." Water Stress (%)=\left ( \frac{TFWW}{TRWR-EFR} \right ) Where: TFWW = Total fresh water withdrawn, where year to which it refers will be provided TRWR = Total renewable fresh water resources EFR = Environmental flows requirements The current situation regarding water stress was summarized as follows: "In 2017, Central and Southern Asia and Northern Africa registered very high water stress – defined as the ratio of fresh water withdrawn to total renewable fresh water resources – of more than 70 percent". This is followed by Western Asia and Eastern Asia, with high water stress of 54 percent and 46 percent, respectively. • spatial extent of water-related ecosystems (from satellite data) • water quality of lakes and artificial water bodies (from satellite data) • quantity of water (discharge) in rivers and estuaries (in situ data) • water quality imported from SDG Indicator 6.3.2 (in situ data) • quantity of groundwater within aquifers (in situ data) Target 6.a: Expand water and sanitation support to developing countries Target 6.a is: "By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies." Target 6.b: Support local engagement in water and sanitation management Target 6.b is: "Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management." It has one indicator: Indicator 6.b.1 is the "Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management". == Custodian agencies ==
Custodian agencies
Custodian agencies are in charge of reporting on the following indicators: • Indicator 6.1.1 and 6.2.1: Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP). The JMP is a joint program of UNICEF and WHO and compiles data to monitor the progress of Target 6.1 and Target 6.2. • Indicator 6.3.1: UN-Habitat and WHO • Indicator 6.3.2: Global Environment Monitoring System for Fresh water (GEMS/Water), International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change (UNESCO-IHP); Federal Institute of Hydrology, Germany; University College Cork, Ireland • Indicators 6.4.1 and 6.4.2: FAOSTAT - AQUASTAT • Indicator 6.5.1: United Nations Environment Programme-DHI Centre • Indicator 6.5.2: UNECE and UNESCO-IHP • Indicator 6.6.1: United Nations Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, International Water Management Institute (IWMI) • Indicators 6.a.1 and 6.b.1: UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) == Challenges ==
Challenges
Climate change Climate change makes it harder to achieve SDG 6 Target 1 (universal access to safe drinking water). This is because climate change can increase weather-related shocks, namely droughts, heavy rain and temperature extremes. This, in turn can cause damage to water infrastructure and water scarcity. The COVID-19 pandemic has also greatly affected the urban poor living in the slums with little or no access to clean water. The pandemic has shown the importance of sanitation, hygiene and adequate access to clean water to prevent diseases. According to the World Health Organization, handwashing is one of the most effective actions one can take to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the COVID-19 virus. == Monitoring progress ==
Monitoring progress
Implementation of the SDGs implies continuous monitoring and periodic evaluation to check whether the direction and pace of development are right. High-level progress reports for all the SDGs are published in the form of reports by the United Nations Secretary General. In April 2020, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said: "Today, Sustainable Development Goal 6 is badly off track" and it "is hindering progress on the 2030 Agenda, the realization of human rights and the achievement of peace and security around the world". Academics and practitioners continue to debate exactly how best to assess progress towards SDG6, with some continuing to champion resource-based approaches whilst others prefer to emphasise experience-based metrics. Experience-based metrics such as the "Household Water Insecurity Experiences" (HWISE) scale have proven a useful complement to resource-based approaches for assessing SDG progress, applied research of water insecurity dynamics, and monitoring and evaluation of development programmes. ==Links with other SDGs==
Links with other SDGs
The SDGs are highly interdependent. Therefore, the provision of clean water and sanitation for all is a precursor to achieving many of the other SDGs. WASH experts have stated that without progress on Goal 6, the other goals and targets cannot be achieved. For example, sanitation improvements can lead to more jobs (SDG 8) which would also lead to economic growth. Recovering the resources embedded in excreta and wastewater (like nutrients, water, and energy) contributes to achieving SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production) and SDG 2 (end hunger). Ensuring adequate sanitation and wastewater management along the entire value chain in cities contributes to SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 1 (no poverty). They can contribute to achieving at least fourteen of the SDGs, especially in an urban context. ==Organizations==
Organizations
The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) has made it its mission to help achieve Targets 6.2 and 6.3. Global organizations such as Oxfam, UNICEF, WaterAid and many small NGOs as well as universities, research centers, private enterprises, government-owned entities etc. are all part of SuSanA and are dedicated to achieving SDG 6. == See also ==
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