Fair Water Action Fund

Globally, 1 in 3 people lack access to clean water, and nearly 2 of 3, do not have access to safe sanitation. The water crisis also drives other problems such as child mortality, poverty, and climate change. In recent years, the concept of the water footprint has been increasingly used to understand the complex relationships between water production, trade, consumption, and sustainable resource use. A water footprint shows the extent of water use relative to people’s consumption. It can be calculated for every good or service consumed. For example, 66% of the water needed to supply Sweden with food and clothing, is used in countries other than Sweden. The most important aspect is not always to reduce the water footprint, but rather to ensure that the water footprint is fairer and based on sustainable and resilient water use.

In this project, Water Witness International aims to increase water security, which is access to clean water, and sustainable water use in the global south by strengthening local actors’ ability to hold global companies accountable.

The project is supported with 2 820 000 SEK.

What’s happening in the project?

– Establishing and creating a competence center that offers various forms of competence support for local actors in Africa.
– Providing legal, financial, and technical support to promising organizations, researchers, and journalists at the forefront of the fight for increased water security and accountability.
– Conducting advocacy work towards the public and decision-makers to raise awareness of the need for water security and fair water footprints.

Why is the project supported?

The project contributes to strengthening local capacity to hold global companies accountable, and increase water security and sustainable water use in the global south.