16 August 2017: The Government of Honduras is conducting its own ‘SDG 6 Initiative’ in preparation for implementing the Sustainable Development Goal on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is supporting this effort, and others, through its SDG Preparedness Facility, which helps countries implement water-related targets under the Goals.

In a summary of activities, the GWP reports that Honduras does not have the infrastructure to calculate actual water demand. Despite an abundance of water, the demand for drinking water is not fulfilled due to lack of storage infrastructure and flow regulation. Water quality also remains a challenge, as several major rivers, including the Choluteca, Chamelecón and Ulúa, are susceptible to pollution from urban sources.

The initiative will emphasize that water management is a shared responsibility requiring a coordinated effort and an integrated vision.

To address these issues and others, Honduras’ SDG 6 initiative will undertake: planning and communication across many government agencies through a series of workshops; establish an intersectoral management mechanism; and raise funds. The Honduras Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mines (MiAmbiente) is leading the process, which involves several line ministries, cabinet offices, and a secretariat that carries out coordination functions. The initiative will train Honduran government entities to formulate relevant indicators for their involvement in water management, while emphasizing that water management is a shared responsibility requiring a coordinated effort and an integrated vision.

GWP’s SDG Preparedness Facility is supporting countries through an initial round of three-year projects. Sixteen countries are partnering with the GWP in this round. They include: Ghana, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia on the African continent; Armenia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Viet Nam in Asia; Hungary and Moldova in Europe; and El Salvador, Honduras and Peru in Latin America and the Caribbean. [GWP Summary] [MiAmbiente Honduras Website (Spanish)] [GWP SDG Preparedness Facility Web Page] [GWP Press Release on Honduras Initiative]