Women and girls need to receive special attention to ensure access to water - a key right and issue for sustainable development, Italy's deputy foreign minister Emanuela Del Re told a Unesco conference in Paris on Monday, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Water is a crucial element for achieving all the goals of the 2030 Agenda, including health," Del Re told a panel discussion on promoting a gender-based approach to water security.
Diarrhoea is the second leading cause of death among children under five, Del Re underlined, according to the statement.
"The problem could be solved with a greater awareness that drives governments and populations to take decisive steps to reduce the risk of disease transmission," Del Re said.
To achieve this, Italy will propose the establishment of a World Day for the fight against childhood diarrhoea at the 72nd World Health Assembly being held on 20-28 May 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland, Del Re said.
Del Re also took part in the launch of the 'Empowering Young People in Africa through Media and Communication' project, which will be implemented by Unesco thanks to a 3 million euro grant from the Africa Fund, said the statement.
"This is one of the many Italian initiatives to promote awareness of the risks associated with migration in Africa, through a strategy aimed at addressing the root causes of the phenomenon and helping migrants and refugees, also by helping them return hom and offering incentives for the socio-economic development of countries most affected by migration," Del Re said.
Earlier on Monday, Del Re went to the Quai d'Orsay for a meeting with French Foreign Secretary Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, in which "a broad consensus" emerged on Africa, on international development and climate change, the statement noted.
This year France holds the G7 presidency.
