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SPLASH!! Issue 2, February 21 2003
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 Welcome to SPLASH! the newsletter of the International Year of Freshwater 2003!
Every few weeks throughout this special year 2003, SPLASH! will bring you news and information related to the International Year of Freshwater. But there's a catch (there always is): this is YOUR newsletter, not ours. To make the Year a success, to make a really big splash, we need your participation. So send us your ideas, pictures, events, news, no matter how modest. Remember, every little drop counts.
Contents: Issue 2, February 21 2003:
IN FOCUS: International Women's Day - The role of women in managing water
 First celebrated in 1911 by a few countries, International Women's Day is now rallying women from all over the world, coordinating efforts to expand women's rights and encourage their participation in the political and economic process. The celebration of this day is the occasion to highlight the extreme importance of women's role in water education and management.
In many societies, water is at the core of women's traditional responsibilities: collecting and storing water, caring for children, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining sanitation. Women are also the world's principal food producers and providers and are assuming an increasing role in agriculture, partly because of the rural-to-urban migration of men. But they often remain underestimated in development strategies. Yet since the early 1980s more and more attention has been devoted to the relationship between women and the environment, and especially water, during international conferences.
For more information on Women and Water click here
Related publications and educational materials
Gender and Water Alliance :
The Gender and Water Development Report 2003, available online
World Conservation Bookstore (IUCN):
United Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
United Nations (UN) - Women Watch
Food and agriculture organization (FAO) - Gender and Food Security
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Women and Gender Equality
IHP - Women and water in Sub-Saharan countries
WHATS'S NEW ON THE IYFW WEBSITE
The International Year of Freshwater website is now available in English, French and Spanish.
Teachers, students : help us to live up the website!
 Is your class looking to get involved in the International Year of Freshwater? We are looking for your water art work (photos, painting, drawings etc.) to share with people from around the world on our website. Let your imaginations go wild and send them to us at wateryear2003@unesco.org
Youth Focal Points for the International Year of Freshwater
If you are a youth group and are organising events in your country for the year, we want to hear from you! Please contact us g.weybrecht@unesco.org
BRIGHT IDEA OF THE MONTH!
 Bangladesh: Old saris are the key to cleaner, safer water
The number of cholera cases in remote Bangladeshi villages were halved when local women poured drinking water, collected from rivers and ponds, through their old saris. The folded saries trapped more than 99 per cent of the cholera causing bacteria which, although tiny, attached themselves to plankton that are too big to squeeze through the pores in the fabric. Tens of thousands of people die every year from dehydration caused by cholera induced diarrhoea and many lives could be saves by filtering water in this way.
For more information, click here
TAKE ACTION!
All over the world, people are taking initiatives to raise people’s awareness of water issues. Here is a short selection of actions: Get with it! Get involved! Get inspired!
AUSTRALIA - Rainfall Data Competition in schools
Manorvale Primary School won the rainfall data competition in 2002 by reducing water consumption by 25% since October 2001, through the installation of anti-vandal taps and automatic sprinkler systems. Other water-sensitive activities undertaken by the school included planting suitable plants, a monthly contract with a green plumber to check and maintain taps and installing a rainwater tank. The challenge, which began during National Water Week 2002, involved students from 100 schools.
[For more information, contact lisa.beechey@melbournewater.com.au ]
 ENGLAND: Youth group brainstorming sessions on water
Woodcraft Folk evening group in Oxford, UK, for 9-12 year olds have had a water theme with brainstorming sessions on ‘Why is water so important?’, ‘What problems are linked to water?’ and ‘What are some of the solutions to dealing with water problems?’ Another brainstorming session focused on flooding. [For more information, contact louise@ecosecurities.com]
CANADA - Youth educating youth about water and sustainable consumption
The Otesha Project Team, a by youth for youth grass roots organization, will be biking across Canada to present 100 empowering multimedia presentations and workshops to youth across the country on sustainable consumption and water.
[For more information, contact The Otesha Project Team]
INDIA - Human chain along the Ganges for World Water Day
Over 10,000 people will join in a 'human chain' along the entire stretch of the Ganges in Varanasi, the holy city for Hindus, on World Water Day this year. The human chain will stretch for the entire 7 km length of the waterfront, along the sacred bathing ghats. The event is organized by the Sankat Mochan Foundation.
[For more information, contact vbmganga@satyam.net.in]
ITALY - Students learn about water
 The small village of Giusvalla is located in an uncontaminated and unpolluted place, with no factories. In this context, the primary school G. Bigatti has been working on a 3-years project regarding water as natural resource to be preserved and respected. This cross-disciplinary project has been developed by means of maps which focus on everything from water and music (from water sounds and rythms to mathematics, art, religion, history, language, etc).
[For more information, contact ic_mioglia@virgilio.it]
PORTUGAL - The longest cloth banner of the world for water
On June 5th, the Association of Young Professors of the Alentejo will create a cloth banner for the International Year of Freshwater of 60,000 meters long, to beat the established Guiness record already in India (50,400 meters). This banner will show water through paintings and other artistic manifestations of schools students, as well as advertising announcements. The funds raised from this project will be used to recover a closed Primary School and to create an interdisciplinary centre on water.
[For more information, contact tjuv315@mail.telepac.pt]
EDUCATION CORNER
 Everything you need to know about oil spills
With thanks to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Web kit with information about what oil spills are, experiments and projects you can do at home and in your class room to learn more about oil spills, resources for teachers on teaching about oil spills, and even information to help report writers including photos and information on the history of oil spills.
 Kids and Acid Rain
With thanks to the Environment Canada
Information and resources for teachers and students on Acid rain including information on measuring acid rain, the affects of acid rain, a poster to print and colour, experiments and additional resources. Available in English and French.
 Manatees and Dugongs, a online colouring book and information kit
With thanks to UNEP Global Programme of Action
Space which focuses on Manatees and Dugongs, animals living in estuaries, where the river meets the sea. Each page focuses on educating youth about these species, their habitat, threats and how to take action. Several pictures of manatees that you can print out or colour online! Available in English.
 Every Drop Counts! A Speaker's Kit on Water Conservation and Water Efficiency
With thanks to the Environment Canada
This kit for all age groups allows anyone to become a speaker on water issues. It consists of a PowerPoint presentation, slides, speaking notes focusing on water conservation and water efficiency. Available in English and French.
Send us your educational material in any languages at wateryear2003@unesco.org
For more educational material visit the Education Corner.
WATER TALKS
From Arie Hapsari, 22 years old, Indonesia
 In my village, Mondokan, in Central Java, people do not think and worry about the existence of water. Mondokan is a small village in which most of the daily activities run in traditional system, including the way to get water.
There are two main ways to get water. First by building a well in our own land around the house. The well can give enough water for daily needs, especially in rainy season. Fortunately there is no industry or factories around my village, so the water is less polluted. Second, in the dry season there are some wells that cannot supply enough water, so people get water from a place called BELIK. A BELIK is a shallow hole near the river that has water which surprisingly gives us enough water for our needs.
Up to now, we do not realize that one day we will lack water. We haven't made any effort to protect and to manage our water resources. It is just a small village that the industrialization and pollution do not touch yet. So, we do not value water yet.
Send us your Water talks to wateryear2003@unesco.org
WATER EVENTS
International Conference on Advances in Flood Forecasting in Europe (2-5 March, Rotterdam, the Netherlands)
Conference on advances in flood forecasting in Europe, focusing on the themes of weather, flash flood, large river flood, and future forecasting. Also including flood inundation forecasting and modeling.
6th Gulf Water Conference (7 -11 March, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
The conference is run in conjunction with the 2nd Symposium on Water Use Rationalization in the Kingdom.
Event outcomes:
 World Youth Parliament for Water(November 18-22, 2002, Quebec City, Canada):
The event brought together young people between the ages of 14 to 18 from 24 countries to reflect on the issues of water management and passed a new water law.
Coming up:
 World Water Day, 22 March 2003
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the responsible UN agency for World Water Day this year, with the theme ‘Water for future’.
 Third World Water Forum (Japan, 16-23 March 2003)
This Forum, which will include 300 sessions, will gather decision-makers and water professionals from all over the world. According to the organizers, 120 country ministers and 8,000 participants will be attending the Forum. More than 150,000 visitors are awaited in the general public exhibits.
More events in the Events Calendar
To subscribe to SPLASH please send us an email telling us whether you would like to receive the newsletter in English, French or Spanish.
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