Tajikistan will host a global, high-level international conference from 20 – 22 June 2018, to launch the second decade of a global focus on water and sanitation (2018 to 2028), linked to Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Within the framework of this international meeting, the Government of Tajikistan and UNICEF are jointly organizing a day-long pre-conference event today — the Children´s Water Forum – to ensure that all children everywhere have access to safe water and sanitation.
According to UNICEF’s Tajikistan Country Office, the Forum, organized in the National Library of Tajikistan, has three main components and will be attended by hundreds of national and international partners, children and adolescents interested in issues pertaining to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and its relation to a better future for every child.
One of the core components of the Forum is an exhibition showcasing the 14 best projects of the Youth Innovation Challenge, a competition organized in Tajikistan to bring together the most innovative WASH solutions designed by adolescent girls and boys. The exhibition will take place at the venue of the Forum.
The Forum will also provide space for the voices of children, and adolescent girls and boys from across Tajikistan on WASH issues. The Children’s Water Flag, composed of dozens of paintings from children in every district of Tajikistan, will be used as a symbol of the Conference.
The participants are also having the opportunity to explore the link between WASH and Early Childhood Development (ECD) in a panel discussion with global experts from the UN and international organizations, as well as national ECD champions and parents.
The day is planned to culminate with an awards ceremony for the best three projects of the Youth Innovation Challenge.
