Brussels, 24/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - On World and European Water Day on 23 March, the European Union called for the adoption of a programme for eradicating poverty and for a post-2015 sustainable development that guarantees universal access to water. “The EU believes that a rights-based approach to the post-2015 agenda, encompassing all human rights, and gender equality, would best ensure that these objectives are met. The availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all must be an important component of this new framework, as water is a key factor for sustainable development”, said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. The challenge is sizeable because the “problem of water scarcity and water stress, which is increasingly due to climate change” is likely “to affect more people in the future due to demographic development” and to stir “violent conflict, which in turn deprive[s] many people from access to water”. (Aminata Niang)