WEF, the United Nations and SDGs

WEF actively supports its commitment to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation

WEF has had a long standing relationship with the United Nations (UN) through its Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and in 2020 accepted as a Partner with UN-Water. As a Partner with UN-Water, WEF's daily work to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG-6, Clean Water and Sanitation, will be more visible and recognized by fellow UN-Water Partners and Members and heighten WEF's global impact.

In July 2019, the WEF Board of Trustees approved a position statement on the UN SDGs. WEF stated its support for the objectives of the UN SDGs and recognized the work that its members, member associations, and the water sector as a whole contribute to furthering progress towards these goals globally. The organization committed to continue to foster progress towards achievement of the SDGs through its mission.

WEF continued to work in partnership with its members contributing to the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WEF debuted its first ever SDG 6 Theater at WEFTEC 2021, touching on topics related to all 17 goals, such as SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5 – Gender Equality, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals with its main focus on SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation.

WEF celebrated World Toilet Day on November 19^th, highlighting and communicating the importance of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). The United Nations highlights the public health hazard of open defecation and calls for its end by 2030. It also brings attention to the importance of securing proper and safe toilet facilities for women and to further secure their school attendance and participation in other socioeconomic activities.

Join us by adding your voice and taking action to accelerate access to clean water and sanitation and moving toward the creation of a more equitable world.

UN SDG Logo 2 SDG 6 Logo

WEF and UN-Water

What is UN-Water?

UN-Water coordinates the efforts of UN entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues.Over 30 UN organizations carry out water and sanitation programs, water issues run through all of the UN’s main focus areas.
UN-Water’s role is to coordinate so that the UN family delivers a unified response to water related challenges. The overarching focus of is to support UN Member States to sustainably manage water and sanitation.

What UN-Water Does:

Inform Policy - UN-Water works together to inform policy processes by identifying emerging issues and developing effective, collaborative responses.
Monitor and Report - UN-Water’s key objectives is to provide coherent and reliable data and information on key water trends and management issues. One of the key publications that comes from this effort is the World Water Development Report, published annually by UNESCO on World Water Day. The topic for 2020 is Water and Climate Change.
Inspire Action - UN-Water coordinates the United Nations international observances on freshwater and sanitation, i.e. World Water Day and World Toilet Day.
SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework - The SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework mobilizes UN agencies, governments, civil society, private sector and other stakeholders on five cross-cutting ‘accelerators’ – Financing, Data and Information, Capacity Development, Innovation, and Governance – to drive progress on water and sanitation issues, and therefore on the whole 2030 Agenda.

For more information on UN-Water click here