Water challenges go beyond questions of access. In many countries, girls are forced to drop out of school owing to a lack of sanitation facilities, and women are harassed or assaulted when carrying water or visiting a public toilet. Moreover, the poorest and most vulnerable members of society often have little choice but to buy water from informal vendors at prices estimated to be 20 to 100 per cent higher than that of their richer neighbours, who receive piped city water in their homes. This is not just unsustainable; it is unacceptable.

用水方面的挑战还不限于取得用水的问题。许多国家的女童因为缺乏环卫设施而被迫退学，妇女提水或上公用厕所时被人骚扰或侵犯。此外，最穷最弱的社会成员往往不得不向非正式的贩子买水，价钱比在家里接引本市自来水的有钱邻居所付的价钱大约高出20%至100%。这种情况不仅不可持续，而且不可接受。

Water problems will figure prominently at the forthcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, in 2012 – Rio + 20. My High-level Panel on Global Sustainability and UN-Water are examining ways in which we can connect the dots among water, energy and food security, with the aim of reducing poverty and inequality, generating jobs, and minimizing the risks of climate change and environmental stress.

在将于2012年在里约热内卢举行的联合国可持续发展大会(里约＋20)上，水的问题将居于显著的地位。我的全球可持续性和联合国水机制问题高级别小组正在研究我们可以采用什么方法把水、能源和粮食安全之间的关系建立起来，以期减少贫穷和不平等现象，创造就业机会，并尽量减少气候变化和环境压力的危险。

On World Water Day, I urge governments to recognize the urban water crisis for what it is – a crisis of governance, weak policies and poor management, rather than one of scarcity. Let us also pledge to reverse the alarming decline in pro poor investment in water and sanitation. And let us reaffirm our commitment to ending the plight of the more than 800 million people who, in a world of plenty, still do not have the safe drinking water or sanitation they need for a life in dignity and good health.

在世界水日，我呼吁各国政府认识城市用水危机的真相——这是治理方式、软弱政策和管理不善造成的危机，而非供不应求的危机。我们还要保证把水和环卫方面有利于穷人的投资急剧下降的趋势扭转过来。同时让我们重申：我们承诺终止8亿多人民的苦难，他们虽然处于一个富足的世界中，却仍然得不到他们的尊严和健康生活所需的安全饮用水或环境卫生。