A shared vision to reach 200 million people by 2030

Published on: 07/09/2021

This blog is based on the press release compiled by IRC Director Global Communications Marc Jaffrey and Water For People's Director Marketing & Communications Jody Carman

On August 25, 2021, IRC CEO, Patrick Moriarty, and Water For People CEO, Eleanor Allen, announced ‘Destination 2030,’ a shared vision to reach 200 million people by 2030 through the establishment of a formal alliance aimed at accelerating progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) – water and sanitation for all. In response to the fast-approaching 2030 SDG deadline, IRC and Water For People will now join forces to develop Destination 2030, a joint effort to close the gap for the estimated 2 billion plus people globally who still lack sustainable access to safe water, and the over 4 billion who lack access to safely managed sanitation.

The Destination 2030 vision is simple: The passionate pursuit of water, sanitation, and hygiene services for all. Destination 2030 goes beyond the vision to include a joint strategy and monitoring framework developed together and shared by Water For People and IRC. Combining forces, the two organizations aim to deliver increased reach and scale in-country, expand to new countries with new partners, promote a shared approach to systems change regionally and globally, and share expertise to improve effectiveness. Together, they have set ambitious goals to serve 20 million people locally with improved services, to reach 200 million nationally through systems strengthening, and to influence global change so that governments, business leaders, and civil society organizations worldwide adopt similar principles to hasten progress toward SDG 6. Destination 2030 was developed by diverse global teams local to the countries where both organizations work.

On announcing Destination 2030 and the alliance to achieve it, Eleanor Allen, CEO, Water For People, said: 

"Over recent years, it has become clear that we share deep, fundamental beliefs about how to achieve SDG 6. Namely, by supporting systems change and sector transformation to accelerate progress in the 15 countries where we work. We believe we can do more together and reach more people faster. We know what must be done to achieve SDG 6, and we have the on-the-ground teams with expertise to support governments in the countries where we operate to achieve this goal."

Patrick Moriarty, CEO, IRC also commented: 

"The world is changing; the WASH sector must change, too. If we don’t, we will fail in the global ambition to attain safe water and sanitation for everyone. We will not be party to that failure. The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on the fact that far too many people around the world still lack safe water and sanitation. Our goal is to solve this challenge by connecting big, disruptive ideas with real, operational delivery. Together we can do this better than we can alone."

In the lead-up to Destination 2030, the organizations also produced their first joint position paper Climate Change, Water Resources, and WASH, which examines the links between climate change, Water Resources Management, and WASH services. The paper is accompanied by 12 case studies from low- and middle-income countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. 

The Destination 2030 long-term vision and 10-year strategy are now available in English, French and Spanish.

Background 

In February 2020, IRC and Water For People announced the creation of a strategic partnership. Shortly thereafter, they began the process of intensive investigation and consultation with employees, external advisors, and stakeholders around this new initiative. In July 2020, a Letter of Intent to formally develop the strategic partnership was signed by both organizations. The evolution of the process led to the formation of an alliance and to the formal development of Destination 2030.