Water for Life Voices

The Decade’s success builds on your success

Achieving the Water for Life Decade’s goals has needed sustained commitment, engagement, cooperation and investment from all.

Water for Life Voices campaign.

The decade is officially drawing to a close on World Water Day, 22 March 2015. The Decade has seen the recognition of the human right to water and sanitation and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water well in advance of the 2015 deadline. But what does this mean at ground level? Have these advancements improved your daily life? Did your water and sanitation situation improve? Have you benefited from the successes of the Decade?

As the end of the 'Water for Life' Decade approaches, we would like to show how people's efforts, your efforts, have contributed to its success. We want to hear your voice! Your WaterForLifeVoice!

  • Looking back. What has the Decade meant for you? How has your life changed in relation to water and sanitation over the last 10 years? Where have you seen a significant change?
  • Looking forward. Where do we need to improve? What are your hopes for the future?
  • Your contribution. How have you contributed to improving the situation? At home, in your city, your country? We want to know what you have done and can do about it.

>> Submit your contribution
>> See your contribution in the waterforlife voices web

How to get involved?

We want to make a big splash! You can contribute by submitting different types of materials: your photos with your message, a 3 minute audio/video recording or an interview. All these need to respond to the three questions above.

Selected contributions will be considered for inclusion in the end of Decade online exhibit. To be considered, you need to submit your materials before the end of December (deadline for submissions is 15 December 2014). If your work is considered you will be notified and credited. Contributions submitted before the end of August are now being assessed to be included in the exhibit that will take place on World Water Day 2015 at the United Nations Headquarters.

>> Terms and conditions of use

>> Submit your contribution

Learning Channels: Your Water for Life Voices and Images!

Learning Channels

We learn by listening to others. Here you will find the voices of those whose water and sanitation life has changed over the last 10 years.

>> Listen to their voices, your voices!

Dispersion

Dispersion

Scientists, experts, private sector leaders, NGOs, policy makers and representatives from case studies talk about what has worked over the Decade, and where we can improve.

>> Listen to their voices

Knowledge bank

The ‘Water for Life’ Decade has been awarding cutting edge water projects since 2011. Here you can find out more about them, and about other key projects around the world.

>> Access to the knowledge bank on projects from the field

Recharge area

Our future post 2015 will be guided by the lessons we have learned. What have been the Decade’s achievements in each area?

>> Access to the recharge area: from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dispersion: Thoughts on the Decade

>> Voices of experts
>> Voices from business
>> Voices from the civil society
>> Voices from the field: case studies

Knowledge Bank: Learning from cases all over the world

>> Africa
>> Asia and the Pacific
>> Europe
>> Latin America and the Caribbean
>> Middle East
>> Oceania

Recharge Area

>> Decade’s achievements. From MDGs to SDGs
>> Five years of UN-Water "Water for Life" Awards 2011-2015PDF document
>> Water for Life VoicesPDF document