Save the Children

Global Poverty Project worked closely with leading advocacy partners like RESULTS, Plan, and Global Campaign for Education to build support for the Global Partnership for Education

WHAT'S THE COMMITMENT

There are currently 1.1 billion people who practice open defecation. I think you’ll agree that that’s unacceptable.

The Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2013 would allow the United States Government to more efficiently increase access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. The bill places a focus on increased transparency and monitoring and evaluation that can help ensure that mistakes aren’t repeated and successes become greater.

HOW DID GLOBAL CITIZENS RESPOND?

As a Global Citizen, you know that water and sanitation programs are some of the best investments that our country can make. The Water for the World Act will help improve the lives of 2.5 billion people in the world who live without a basic latrine every day. So far, global citizens have taken over 35,000 actions by signing this petition to increase access to water and sanitation.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

November 19 was World Toilet Day. The Global Citizen team joined Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR), Congressman Poe (R-TX) and our partners at WaterAid, WASH Advocates, and Millennium Water Alliance for a rally in support of Water for the World Act. Congressman Poe explained, “This is an issue that rises way above politics. It rises way above our U.S. self-interest. We are dealing with people who don’t have access to water – and there are a lot of them!”

Later on World Toilet Day, Senator Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Corker (R-TN) introduced the Water for the World Act in the Senate. “Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services sickens and kills thousands of children every day, and leads to poverty across the globe,” Senator Durbin said. “But this is no longer simply a global health and development issue—it’s a long-term problem that increasingly threatens our national security. The Senate passed a version of this bill in 2009 and I hope we pass today’s legislation before this crisis reaches a devastating tipping point.”

The momentum around Water for the World Act is pretty incredible. An unprecedented 107 Members of the House of Representatives have become co-sponsors of this bipartisan bill. Just yesterday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee marked up the Water for the World Act and now the bill is ready for a vote in the House of Representatives.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

It is super important that global citizens keep up the momentum to ensure that the Water for the World Act passes this year! Now that the bill has been marked up in the House, it is vital that we rally Members of Congress to be ready to vote ‘yes’ on the Water for the World Act!

We’ll keep you updated when we have more news!

Editorial

Defeat Poverty

Global Citizens work to build support for the Water for the World Act