Access to Water for all Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina
05/04/2012
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Today in Sarajevo, the results of cooperation between local communities and MDG-F Democratic Economic Governance have been presented. On this occasion, Ermina Salkičević - Dizdarevic, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations BiH, Yuri Afanasiev, UNDP BiH Resident Representative, as well as Igor Palandžić, MDG-F DEG National Programme Manager and Coordinator and Selma Kazic, Program Manager for Social Affairs UNICEF addressed to the participants.
On average, Bosnia and Herzegovina lose 50% of water due to poor infrastructure, of water supply sector, while in some areas this figure reaches 80%, in contrast to the countries of the European Union, where the losses were only 10%. The rate of coverage with public systems is too low, as in Bosnia and Herzegovina almost half the population does not have secured access to these systems (coverage is only 58%), while in the EU coverage is 80-90%.
Therefore, within the framework of MDG-F DEG, activities focused on improving the economic governance and reconstruction of the water supply infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"Raising awareness about the importance of access to water is of a great importance, especially among young people. Our priority is to provide access to public water supply systems for as many people as possible, especially marginalized and vulnerable groups."said UNDP Resident Representative Yuri Afanasiev.
Within MDG-F DEG programme, the access to water has been improved for 50,000 people (including 200 returnee families). Also, local committees prepared 13 municipal Action plans, in order to address deficiencies in the system of social protection. Important activity of the MDG-F DEG was the education of 250 children on issues of water, where they developed concrete plans for improving water and sanitation in 13 schools across the country.
The total investment in water infrastructure in 2011 were approx. 1.25 million EUR (MDG-F DEG has donated 810,000 BAM, while municipalities have invested 440,000 BAM), where activities in the field produced savings of 410.000 KM per annum.
The program is jointly implemented by UNDP and UNICEF in partnership with the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management RS, Federal Ministry of labor and social protection, RS Ministry of health and social protection, 13 partner municipalities and their water-utility companies, and civil society organizations. Project duration is 3 years with an approximate amount of the budget of 4,950,000 USD, funded by the Government of the Kingdom of Spain.
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