The 4th South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN 4) will be hosted from 4-8 April 2011 in Sri Lanka. South Asia has progressed relatively well with sanitation and hygiene policies, institutions and investments. However it remains the region of the world with the largest number of people without sanitation, together with widespread poor hygienic practices, and consequently is unlikely to achieve the MDGs on sanitation.
Published on: 17/03/2011
The 4th South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN 4) will be hosted from 4-8 April 2011 in Sri Lanka. South Asia has progressed relatively well with sanitation and hygiene policies, institutions and investments. However it remains the region of the world with the largest number of people without sanitation, together with widespread poor hygienic practices, and consequently is unlikely to achieve the MDGs on sanitation. Several sector players have teamed up in the run-up to SACOSAN 4 to bring the voices of the people to the podium and raise the challenges around the unserved in the region, with a view to seeing increased commitments and meaningful collaborative action reflected in the meeting outcomes and beyond.
A hugely challenging area for support across South Asia is the difficulty of reaching largely invisible, marginalised groups and individuals. Equity and inclusion remains an intention, rather than a systematic approach. Action toward the improvement of menstrual hygiene management and services for disabled people are implemented in specific projects, but are not mainstreamed in larger national programmes. Several international and national actors such UNICEF, WaterAid, UN Habitat, the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), national think tanks and non-governmental organisations have undertaken studies on specific dimensions of equity and inclusion in South Asia. Using SACOSAN as an opportunity, four organisations (UNICEF, WA, WSP and WSSCC) have come together to prepare a regional synthesis paper on equity and inclusion in South Asia, to take stock of what is available and work that has already been done, to learn lessons and catalyse thinking and action for the future. The paper and accompanying audio-visuals will be shared over the next two months in the region with our partners and government, inviting suggestions and using opportunities presented nationally.
| We are all committed to doing something to ensure that no one is left out. Would this not be so much more effective if we pooled our individual strengths and collective wisdom to tackle this issue head on? Governments in South Asia together with people themselves, are the biggest investors in facilities, we can only play the role of smart facilitators. The biggest challenge in the region is reaching those who have no voice, information or means to access their basic entitlements. 713 million people in the region defecate in the open and many more do not have adequate water for washing bathing or personal hygiene. This is unacceptable and a situation that we must correct, together! We must view SACOSAN and all regional meetings as milestones in a larger programme of work that we sign up to regionally. Archana Patkar, Programme Manager, WSSCC |
The overall aim is to prepare a regional synthesis that will be shared nationally and then be used to catalyse discussions during the SACOSAN conference itself with the aim of generating practical joined-up action and advocacy from civil society and mainstream sector actors (government, donors, investors, implementers) in order to direct investments, research and action to where it is needed most.
As in previous SACOSAN meetings, strong civil society participation is being enabled through collaborative action and support by Fresh Water Action Network-South Asia (FANSA), WA and WSSCC and other agencies in the region. National committees have been set up to strengthen grassroots engagement for SACOSAN 4 with activities that include civil society pre-meetings, national consultations, research on service delivery in the region and a linked video on people’s views on sanitation services. The People’s Perceptions Research especially addresses groups that are left out or unserved in some way and is commissioned by the regional partnership of WSSCC, Water Aid, Freshwater Action Network (FAN).
Toilets that are designed for disabled people, such as here in Dhaka, remain an exception (photo: Amanda Marlin, WSSCC)
For more information contact ina.jurga@wsscc.org.
