International water management symposium in Stockholm

Media InvitationGLOBAL WATER PARTNERSHIP:PROGRESS IN THE REGIONSCity Conference Centre, Stockholm, SwedenAugust 11 - 14, 1998 Twenty-five percent of the developing world lacks access to safe drinking water and over 50 percent lacks adequate sanitation. Despite internationally agreed upon principles for water management, the problems continue to grow worse. What are private utilities doing to provide water for the poor, while also managing to stay in business? Poor women are keenly affected by how water is managed outside of their homes because they must provide and manage water for their families. How are the perspectives of women as professionals and as mothers conveyed at all levels of water management? Limited supplies of water in every country and region must satisfy the needs of many competing users -- agriculture, utilities, industry, power, etc. What complementary policies and investments should countries make to protect the health of their people, economies and natural resources? How far-reaching is Swedish development aid in this area? August 11, 19989:00 - 15:30, Plenary Room, Section CSpecial GWP Seminar on Water for the Poor and the Role of the Private Sector: Representatives of Suez-Lyonnaise des Eaux and Thames Water Plc., two major international providers of water services, will discuss issues, challenges, and experiences gained in the provision of privatized water services to urban and rural poor. Mr. Derek Jamieson of Thames Water Plc will provide context by presenting the company?s experiences from a project in Indonesia Mr. Jean-Francois Didion and A. Carbonel of Suez-Lyonnaise des Eaux will present the La Paz - El Alto project, and L. Uzin will add the perspective of Superintendancia de Aguas de Bolivia Mr. Anil Agarwal of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, India, will chair the event. Mr. Nick Johnstone, International Institute for Environment and Development, will work with the chair to provide a synthesis and summary of issues for the closing panel discussion15:35 - 16:30, Plenary Room, Section CFollow-Up Session for Press: Panelists from the above seminar will remain for continued discussion and to take questions.9:00 - 18:00, Room 307 (Folkets Hus at Stockholm City Conference Center)Contributions of Women in the Field of Water Management: To what extent have women been socially deprived by conventional water supply development? What is the role of women as users of water, and to what extent are they involved in making decisions at various levels in different countries? This workshop is part of the Stockholm Water Symposium and is co-convened by GWP. Registration may be completed directly by email (sympos@siwi.org).The following speakers and presentations are scheduled: Professor Selahattin Erhan, Turkey and Mrs. Usha Wright, USA, to address the GAP (South East Anatolia Project) and women in irrigation. Nievos Rico, Chile will address Women in Water Processes in Latin America. Ms Cecilia Tortajada, Mexico Capacity Building for Women in the Water Sector in Latin America. Ms Rita Schmidt Sudman, USA Contributions of Women in the Field of Water Resources. Mr Benedict P. Michael, Tanzania The Role of Women in Water Resources Management -- The Tanzania Case. Ms Bolu Enabor, Nigeria Integrated Water Management by Urban Poor Women -- A Nigerian Urban Slum Experience.August 13, 1998 8:15 - 9:00Press Briefing: Press kits and resource persons available to provide journalists with an overview and agenda of the two-day meeting of the GWP Consultative Group. 9:00 - 18:00, City Conference Centre, Plenary RoomGWP Progress in the Regions Mr. Ismail Serageldin, Vice President of the World Bank, and Chairman of Global Water Partnership, will open the meeting and provide an overview of the issues. Mr. Johan Holmberg, Assistant Director General of Sida and GWP Executive Secretary, will provide a summary of GWP?s progress during a year in which freshwater issues were highly placed on the international environmental agenda. Dr. Torkil Jønch-Clausen, of the Water Quality Institute in Copenhagen, and chair of the GWP Technical Advisory Committee, will present GWP?s practical proposals for improving and promoting holistic water management at national and regional levels Ms. Tabeth Matiza-Chiuta, International Conservation Union (IUCN), and chair of GWP?s regional group in Southern Africa (SATAC) will present the group?s activities and workplan Mr. Angel Alejandrino, National Hydraulics Research Center, and chair of GWP?s regional group in Southeast Asia (SEATAC) will present the group?s activities and workplan. Mr. Victor Ponchat, Director of Nacional de Gestión de los Recursos Hidricos and chair of GWP?s regional group in Southern America (SAMTAC) will present the group?s activities and workplan. Dr. M. A. Chitale, Maharashtra Water & Irrigation Commission, will present the group?s activities and workplan. 12:30 -13:45GWP Seminar Luncheon for Press: All presenters of the opening session will share lunch with members of the media and provide a deeper background session on the comparative advantage of Global Water Partnership. Please contact Ms. Laura Edwards, GWP Information Officer: +46 8 698 5384, laura.edwards@sida.se/ or Mr. Ulf Källstig, Sida Information Officer: +46 8 698 5555. Visit the GWP WaterForum: www.gwpforum.org