Blog Posts: FWW and global water justice movement make the cut!

Every year, Project Censored publishes a ranking of the top 25 most deserving stories that go unreported in the U.S. mainstream media. I’m pleased to share the news that this year’s list includes “Activists Slam World Water Forum as a Corporate-Driven Fraud,” recognizing the increasingly successful work of the global water justice movement. Out of more than 700 entries, this recognition was based on reporting from the 2009 World Water Forum in Istanbul by Jeff Conant, FWW staff member, and on Democracy Now! and KPFA radio interviews with Maude Barlow, FWW board president.

While the forum only happens every three years, our ongoing campaign endeavors to expose the corporate bias that underlies the World Water Council, who sponsors the forum. The WWC, led by executives from major multinational water companies, tries to present the image that they are a fair and balanced multi-stakeholder body, well-suited for setting global water policy, but the reality is that they host the forum to push their pro-privatization agenda. Rumor has it that due to successful work by the global water justice movement in Istanbul, the WWC is running damage control and is expected to soon replace their not-so-subtly biased leadership with puppet leadership from academia or pro-corporate non-profits. Replacing their leaders won’t fool anyone—we already know who runs the show.

Next week, Oct. 14-16, in Marseille, the World Water Council will hold their
Annual General Meeting and we hear that in an attempt to legitimize their image, they will invite up to 6 seats from UN agencies to join their Board of Governors.

In response, members of the global movement are collecting signatures for a letter advocating that the UN host all future water forums and opposing UN participation in the WWC Board of Governors. Signatures are being collected until October 13th so time is short. Please add your voice to support water for people not for profit.

The folks at Project Censored couldn’t have better timing since around the world, Blue October is being celebrated in honor of Uruguay’s constitutional adoption of the human right to water in October 2004. To learn more and to see a global calendar of events, check out the Blue October website.

Congratulations to Jeff, Maude and all those who fight for water justice around the world!

-Darcey O’Callaghan