Date: Thursday, February 8, 2018
Time:: 10:00h – 13:30h,
Place: Classroom 267 of the Departmental Building of the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences at the Rey Juan Carlos University (Vicálvaro Campus).
The Seminar aims to raise interest in the university field on the problem of the right to access to water in the Middle East, and to present good practices on access to water and water management promoted by international organizations and civil society in the region, promoting a reflection on the great challenge and opportunities offered by the 2030 Agenda.
Water management is the epicenter of sustainability, fundamental for socioeconomic development, the generation of healthy ecosystems and human survival, as well as for our adaptation to the global phenomenon of climate change. According to data from UN-Water, the number of people whose right to water is not met is about 3,500 Million.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its SDG 6 proposes, “Guarantee the availability of water and its sustainable management and sanitation for all”. SDG 6 includes the efficient use of water resources in all sectors, to ensure the sustainability of the collection and supply of fresh water, integrates the management of water resources at all levels, including local communities in the improvement of water resources, water management, and sanitation. Domestic consumption, the agricultural sector, industry and energy generation make water an essential resource to apply good practices and carry out effective public management.
The Middle East is among the regions with the greatest water shortages in the world. The impact of climate change combined with rapid population growth and massive migration movements’ further increases the pressures currently exerted on existing natural water resources.
The day will be structured in two sessions, during which the experts will reflect on the work experience of civil society in the Middle East and on the promotion of the 2030 Agenda from multilateral organizations.
The first session will be attended by Izzat Zeidan Director of programs and projects of PARC (Palestine), Nabil Moawad, Director of the René Moawad Foundation (Lebanon), Muttasim Al Hayari, Director of Natural Resources Programs of JOHUD (Jordan) and Antonio Bolinches, member of the Botín Foundation Water Observatory.
The second session will be conducted by Enas Abu Laban Masri, Head of Water Resources in the Office of the Middle East Quartet (United States, European Union, Russia and the UN).
Javier Martín, Journalist, and Delegate of the EFE Agency in North Africa will carry out beforehand the opening conference, oriented to the contextualization of the region.
The Seminar is funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID).