First Lady with global leaders, celebrities: Appeals for improved sanitation

First Lady Gertrude Mutharika has called upon global leaders and decision makers to take a leading role in making sure that they promote the provision of safe and portable water and sanitation services to people in their respective countries.

Madame Mutharika spoke at the Washington National Mall when she addressed participants to the 2015 Global Earth Day, whose theme was ‘protecting our planet and its people.’

The First Lady was the key speaker at the commemoration and also became the first high profile woman to sign a declaration that makes a commitment to use available resources and means to provide sanitation to people of all walks of life in their respective countries.

Speaking to thousands of people who gathered at the park, Madame Mutharika said she was honoured to be a part of a global movement that is fighting to end poverty and create a cleaner environment for the future generation.

“Global citizens, this day provides an opportunity for all of us to join hands in advancing the agenda of ensuring that every citizen globally is able to live a healthy, productive life,” she declared.

“This can be achieved if every citizen took seriously, issues of ending poverty, improving sanitation and the environment,” she added.

She also took the time to educate the crowd about the importance of sanitation which she said is a matter of dignity for women and girls.

“Sanitation services are very vital for women and girls, not only in our country, Malawi but everywhere across the world that is why our government is making every effort to ensure that women and girls are provided with such services to preserve their dignity.”

“Remember by means of water, we give life to everything. Sanitation is dignity. The environment needs taking care of. Climate change is real, we need to act now. It is my distinct pleasure to stand alongside these remarkable and distinguished people who have joined me in signing the Declaration,” she said.

Global Earth Day was set aside to broaden diversify and mobilize the environmental movement on the conservation of natural resources and is regarded as the largest civic observance in the world day, activated over 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement.

The first Earth Day celebrations took place on April 22, 1970 in the United State of America where more than 20 million people participated in a march to protest against deterioration of the environment.

Other speakers on the day included UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Mr Junaid Ahmad, Senior Director at World Bank Groups Water Global Practice, Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior; Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy; the First Lady of Madagascar, Lalao Rajaonamampianian; Philippe Douste-Blazy, UNITAID Director General and Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Netherlands among others.

Artists who performed at the event include No Doubt, Usher, Fall Out Boys, Mary J. Blige, Common and D’Banj.

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