"None of this will happen without
public awareness and mobilization
campaigns, to bring home to people
the extent and the causes of the
current and impending water crisis.?
Kofi Annan on the occasion
of the UN Millennium Forum
Student unions ecstatic at lifting of ban
* Praise govt decision and distribute sweets amongst students
* Say decision will strengthen democracy in Pakistan, will usher in new leaders
* Want student elections as soon as possible
By Adnan Lodhi
LAHORE: Student unions distributed sweets amongst students on Saturday following the speech by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in which he announced lifting the ban on student unions in educational institutions.
Student leaders welcomed the restoration of student unions, saying it would promote leadership qualities on campuses.
Former Pakistani president Gen Ziaul Haq had banned student unions in educational institutions in 1984. Student politics in Pakistan has a history of mixed fortune. It also has a history of rich democratic tradition. Before Ziaul Haq banned student unions, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges. Student parties that participated in these elections played an important role in looking after vital academic, cultural and political interests of students.
The National Students Federation (NSF), Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT), Muslim Student Federation (MSF), Anjuman Talaba Islamia (ATI), People?s Students Federation (PSF), Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), Mustafvi Students Movement (MSM) and the recently formed Insaaf Students Federation are among political groups active in student politics in Punjab. Although there was a ban on them, elements belonging to these groups were active in various capacities in educational institutions.
People?s Student Federation (PSF): PSF workers at the Punjab University, Forman Christian College University, University of Engineering and Technology, MAO College and a few technical colleges in distributed sweets and shouted slogans in favour of the Pakistan People?s Party (PPP) government.
Ali Ammar, Punjab PSF information secretary, said that credit went to the PPP government for restoring student unions. Students from across Pakistan had demanded a lifting of the ban, he added.
He said, ?We had promised students that the ban will be lifted and now it has. PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will soon visit Lahore and the PSF will announce a special package for students.?
Muslim Students Federation (MSF): Hundreds of MSF workers celebrated in MAO College and distributed sweets amongst students.
Afzal Sultan Gujjar, MAO College MSF chairman, said that the decision was historical and important, as the country needed leaders. He said that the decision to lift the ban on student unions would strengthen democracy.
Sheikh Shahid Iqbal, MAO College MSF president, said that the role of student unions was very important in providing leaders to Pakistan. He said, ?We struggled a lot for the restoration of unions and many workers sacrificed their lives for this moment.?
Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT): IJT workers distributed sweets amongst Punjab University students at the hostels.
IJT Nazim Attiqur Rehman said that dictatorship on campuses was over and students would take charge and improve their lives. He said that the IJT would celebrate the decision across the country from tomorrow (Sunday) to April 5.
Imamia Students Organisation (ISO): ISO workers praised the prime minister?s decision and distributed sweets at the Punjab University and University of Engineering and Technology hostels.
Pakistan ISO President Arif Hussain Qambri said that the organisation praised the decision and realised that now it was the responsibility of students to gather on one platform and work for each other?s welfare. He said student unions would set educational goals and abstain from getting embroiled in politics.
Students Action Committee (SAC): SAC, a body of students working for the restoration of the judiciary, also praised the prime minister?s decision.
Haleema, SAC communication adviser, said, ?SAC members are spread across 21 universities in the city and each one of them has praised PM Gillani. We have always demanded restoring student unions and have been forcing students to work for Pakistan?s welfare.?
Muttahida Talaba Mahaz (MTM): MTM President Raheel Shah said that the decision to lift the ban on student unions was commendable. ?The prime minister has provided us with the opportunity to grow in a democratic environment. We have called an MTM meeting for next week and have invited representatives of all student unions. We will formulate a policy and schedule for student elections and will make sure everyone works together.?
Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUSA): FAPUASA President Dr Mumtaz Ahmed Salik praised the decision, saying that the entire teaching community was happy. ?Dictatorship tendencies in educational institutions are over forever. The government should announce the schedule for student elections. We oppose the policies of the Higher Education Commission in institutions and demand the prime minister restore employees who were fired after being implicated in plagiarism cases.?
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Student unions ecstatic at lifting of ban
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Wrapped around his finger
There is growing recognition of the importance of social norms and attitudes in the management of water. Recent main policy documents recognize the importance of awareness raising to influence these norms and values towards a more sustainable use of water resources. All over the world new initiatives have been launched in the last decade. Large international agencies, governments, local citizens? groups, drinking-water providers, international and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and educational networks all have unique and interesting experiences. Their ideas are often innovative, attractive and have a potential to appeal to large audience.
This website based on the book Ideas for Water Awareness Campaigns by Amer Rafiq, Wouter Schaap and Frank van Steenbergen, was produced by the Global Water Partnership in an attempt to bring together many of these ideas, from a variety of organizations working in a diverse range of countries. Hopefully, it will be useful as a resource for a variety of people such as:
*
Professionals in the water sector who have realized the importance of public awareness.
*
People working on water publicity campaigns and educational programs who want to know both what is going on in other initiatives and what material and resources are already available.
*
Small and large NGO groups trying to find ways to expand their reach and incorporate new ideas.
*
Organizations looking for partners to start new initiatives with.
*
Policy makers who want to glance into the public awareness side of the water sector.
One of the problems with existing information is its fragmentation. Usually, it is only available as project documentation, offering general overviews of projects and focusing on various topics besides awareness raising. Systematic exchange of awareness raising ideas is difficult. Documentation, with experiences from more than one initiative is often limited to one part of the water sector, for example, only basic education on water conservation or promotion of education on hygiene. Much can be learnt by exchanging and comparing the experiences of very different initiatives within the water sector. There are several main reasons why systematic awareness raising on water is needed:
Water conservation
Evidence from several campaigns shows that awareness-building can effectively reduce water demand. For example, in Zaragoza, Spain, a large water conservation awareness-campaign made it unnecessary to raise the level of a reservoir, as had been planned earlier.
Promoting education on hygiene
Similarly, in the sanitation and hygiene sector, awareness of hygiene is now considered a necessary complement to the construction of latrines. Without an understanding of hygiene-related health issues, the use of safe sanitary facilities is likely to be suboptimal.
Preservation of wet ecosystems
The number of volunteers involved in the preservation of rivers, lakes, marshes and estuaries is remarkable. The large amount of public attention for environmental conservation and the large number of NGOs campaigning on this topic have been a great support for this movement. Volunteer-lobbying networks, river-monitoring and clean-up programs have been created, often with the help of community groups, schools and religious organizations.
Supporting participatory interventions
Awareness and being motivated to change are essential in participatory interventions. Participation is based on the idea that people have the right to be involved in issues concerning them. Awareness raising and education can help stimulate active and informed involvement.
Developing self-regulating water institutions
Having seen groundwater disasters elsewhere, the acute understanding of the dangers of overpumping caused farmers in the arid Panjgur District in Pakistan to impose a ban on the use of tube wells, thus salvaging the group-owned horizontal well systems. Awareness can be a very important drive for communities to establish and improve local institutions for the management of water resources.
Pushing for policy changes
Awareness raising can also help create social pressure on governments and other water users. It can support a drive for policy changes in favor of better water management and build political will.
Building a more water-aware new generation
The school children of today will be the leaders and doers of tomorrow. This is all the more reason to make wise water use part of the school curricula.
Summarizing?
All in all, the number of unique awareness raising initiatives in the water sector is surprisingly large. This book attempts to bring together the many ideas developed in these initiatives. Sometimes, they will be combined with suggestions from communications theory and commercial marketing but the emphasis will remain on practical suggestions and clues. This book does not intend to be a comprehensive how-to-do book but, hopefully, it will be a source of inspiration and a starting point for many new ideas and initiatives.
As the world's water becomes scarce and corporations seek to exploit this scarcity for profit, people around the world are losing ownership and control of water resources on which they depend. Water is a human right; to the extent one has the right to live, one has the right to water. Water for All Campaign is dedicated to protecting water as a common resource, stopping water privatization and bulk water sales, and defending access to clean and affordable water around the world.
Water Privatization: Issues & Debates
A worldwide crisis over water is brewing. According to the United Nations, 31 countries are now facing water scarcity and 1 billion people lack access clean drinking water. Water consumption is doubling every 20 years and yet at the same time, water sources are rapidly being polluted, depleted, diverted and exploited by corporate interests ranging from industrial agriculture and manufacturing to electricity production and mining. The World Bank predicts that by 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will suffer from lack of clean and safe drinking water.
Today, people around the world are losing ownership and control of the water which remains.
Instead of protecting their citizens? water resources from self-interested profiteers, governments are retreating from their responsibilities and bending to the will of giant transnational corporations that are poised to profit from the shortage of water. Fortune magazine has predicted that "water is the oil of the 21 century," and now corporations are rushing to invest in the new get-rich economy of water. Giant water, energy, food, and shipping companies have plans to buy water rights, privatize publicly-owned water systems, promote bottled water, and sell "bulk" water by transporting it from water rich areas to thirsty markets. At the same time, to ensure maximum profits, these companies are lobbying to weaken water quality standards, and pushing for trade agreements that hand over the U.S. water resources to foreign corporations.
Corporate Control
High-profile corporate scandals and tales of corporations prioritizing their profit over consumer protections continue to impact Americans on a daily basis, with CEOs? greed and fraudulent business practices widespread throughout the economy. Most are the result of lax regulation of key industries, allowing corporations too much control over Americans? lives with no protection provided to consumers. These scandals have ranged from Enron robbing billions of dollars from California electricity consumers, to Wall Street investment firms stealing billions of dollars from average investors, to Halliburton?s and Bechtel?s Iraq subsidiaries stealing billions of dollars from U.S. taxpayers, to accounting scandals at WorldCom and Tyco, and less dramatic-but no less hurtful-actions of companies prioritizing their own self-interest at the expense of consumers. In this era of deregulation, too many corporations have proven to the American people that they simply cannot be trusted to do the right thing. Additionally, the close connection, including the "revolving door" and other conflicts of interest between industry and government, only weakens government oversight. Consumers deserve to be protected by strong, sensible regulations in order to safeguard the food we eat, the water we drink, and the energy we use.
Water is a Human Right
Clean Water for the Poor: Making the Human Right to Water a Reality,
Water is essential to sustain life. It is enshrined in the right to life and dignity, as set forth in the International Bill of Human Rights. In 2002, the United Nations adopted water as a human right. This adoption commits the 145 countries that have ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to gradually ensure fair and non-discriminatory access to safe drinking water.
Daily, the right to water is violated ? according to the World Health Organization an estimated 1.7 billion people still lack access to clean water and 2.3 billion people suffer from water-borne diseases each year. Water-borne diseases occur due to the inability to provide clean water, but increasingly due to pricing of water. Pre-paid water meters are installed in poor areas in order to ensure profitable supply and services are cut-off if citizens fall behind on their payments. Privatization of water has only exacerbated the problem. People should control water, not corporations.
Water is a common resource and we all have an equal right to this precious resource and a responsibility to protect it.
Who are the major water companies?
The two largest water corporations in the world are part of French transnational Vivendi and German energy conglomerate RWE. Ranked 51st and 53rd among Fortune's Global 500 List, these two water giants capture nearly 40 percent of the existing water market share. The French company, Suez, follows the two front runners ranked 99th on the list. These multinationals are now gaining a foothold in the United States, where they operate through a number of subsidiaries.
Suez operates in 130 countries and Vivendi in over 100; their combined annual revenues are over $70 billion (including $19 billion in water and wastewater services). RWE revenues are currently over $50 billion (energy included), having acquired British water giant Thames Water. Upon completion of the purchase of American Water Works, RWE will gain control of the largest U.S. private water utility. This expands its customer base from 43 million to 56 million people. Other major water corporations include Bechtel, Biwater plc, Bouygues/Saur, U.S. Water, Severn Trent, Anglian Water, and the Kelda Group.
NEWS ALERT: This just in! Insurance giant American International Group acquires small water utilities across the U.S.
Water for All initiated a new collaborative website to help coordinate our global campaign focusing on the water transnational, Suez. The website is tri-lingal and collects information regarding the abuses, problematic projects, community protests, and exploitative policies of Suez, Go to:
Stop SUEZ!
Water for People and the Planet, Not for Profit!
SUEZ is a global conglomerate and one of the largest private water services companies in the world. We call on you to join with social movements from PAKISTAN,INDIA,Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Indonesia and the Philippines to protest the exploitative projects and policies of SUEZ around the world. Suez has placed profit over the human right to water by raising water rates, cutting off the water of people unable to pay, refusing to extend services to poor neighborhoods, threatening legal action when contracts are terminated, among many other problems.
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further contact:
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e-mail.com: askamer@hotmail.com
cell: o346-4341279
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