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Water is one of the most valuable products there is and is essential because it’s part of our means for survival. Water is one of a kind, something that continues to stay stagnant and continues to be a necessity for all living things on Earth. Recently there have been more water utilities being developed in both urban and rural areas. These are possible because of local governments, international agencies, central governments, etc.
However, even when so many of these facilities have been created there is still a major crisis occurring: The cleanliness of that water. In more urban areas there are an extraordinary amount of complaints to these water utilities because they are not easily accessible, convenient, and even if they were, they are very poor sanitation wise. In order to provide safe water and enough water there needs to be reliable sources, one needs to investigate the past to figure out how to move forward, and one needs to go to the parts of the world that are being most affected.
Rwanda’s Politics
Rwanda is in East Africa and has had many political struggles. What comes to mind to many individuals about Rwanda is usually something to do with the Genocide that took place there. Where hundreds of thousands of Tutsis were killed by Hutu’s. There politics reflects countries like Germany. They currently have a presidential republic and are trying to make economic improvements and try they have as they have raised poverty lines and school enrollment rates and many more.
However, when speaking of the sanitation of their water they have not made as many accomplishments. They everyday person living in Rwanda may not have access to clean water and are very poor therefore not even being able to go to the community water points thus making them get water from local ponds, lakes. This is making them very high at risk for waterborne diseases.
Rwanda’s government is not able to handle this issue alone and UNICEF is the one supporting them. UNICEF states that by 2013 they are going to help provide access to water and sanitation for half a million people. However, not much has improved as Rwanda is dealing with other political issues. However, in very recent years Rwanda has made tremendous improvements. According to Worldvision.org Rwanda is most likely the first country to solve their water crisis thanks to other central governments helping the local ones.
Sub- Saharan Africa
Currently in sub-Saharan Africa poverty is continuing to be a big imposing epidemic. This is so because of climate changes, ethical issues, but most importantly political instability. However, the biggest cause of poverty in Africa is the lack of access to clean drinking water. According to the Waterproject.org The UN says that in Sub- Saharan Africa alone 40 billion hours every year is used collecting water.
When looking deeper into sub-Saharan Africa’s politics many red lights appear. There are about 47 countries in this part of Africa and 70 percent of these people lack very basic human rights and civil liberties. Many agencies have been helping African governments and are hoping for more economic and agricultural development. However, many of the projects created didn’t have good results. Social services are improving the most necessary issue, improving economic growth is still limited.
There have been only a handful of African governments that have put the improvement of living standards as a top priority, these is partially due to ethnic issues. Looking at Africa’s history is clear as to what’s to blame for many difficulties facing Africa today and one of those is colonialism. In history it’s been shown that democracies are very vulnerable to being set back especially non-consolidated. In central Africa there have been peaceful changes of power butThis could lead to political issues and this threatens their stability. In places like Rwanda where there have been previous tensions this could become even worse.
Conclusion
The goal is a water secure world where everyone has sustainable amounts of water and that it has good quality that meets human needs. Reducing diseases and saving lives, fully eradicating poverty and truly having a long-lasting economic growth in lower parts of the world. Peace and security need to be built up and other countries need to act as well. Having access to safe water and more hygienic practices is what is needed in order to take bigger steps toward world peace. Those countries where water is a social issue as well as an economic issue is and should be first to get help.
In places with these issues it doesn’t just raise concern towards their government, but it also concerns the environment and what poor water sanitation is causing it. It raises concern about ethics and how morals and basic humanity is not being used to people who are desperately in need of help. One must look at all three things in order to better understand it and to start making change. Though this water crisis is terrible and very devastating it is complete fixable, and places like Rwanda are proof for that. All these issues can be fixed. It wont however be easy but it’s complete worth the struggle and the sacrifice.