Published on: 03/12/2014
THE HAGUE, November 27, 2014 - In less than a year the successors of the Millennium Development Goals will be defined in New York by the United Nations: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's). Although it appears that access to water, sanitation and hygiene is one of the goals, critical components such as water and sanitation at work, in clinics and schools are still missing. Now the discussion on the SDG's is in its final stage, Simavi and IRC are putting these key Water and Sanitation issues in the spotlight at a side event on 4 December.
Investing in toilets at schools is investing in equality between boys and girls
"We can't accept a world in which one in three people lack access to decent sanitation. That is why we campaign for a dedicated goal on water and sanitation in the follow-up of the Millennium Development Goals after 2015", says Andy Palmen, director Partnership Development at Simavi. "And we want this access to water, sanitation and hygiene to be extended beyond homes to schools, healthcare facilities and the work place."
Take for example a simple latrine in schools. Without it girls often may not go to school, especially if they are menstruating. That hampers their educational development and inevitably increases inequality between girls and boys. Or take good facilities at work. For every US $ 1 invested in water and sanitation, US $ 4.30 is generated in economic returns through increased productivity. This puts water and sanitation at the basis of sustainable economic development.
Sanitation and Water for All Steering Committee in The Netherlands
On 4 December 2014, the Steering Committee of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) meets in The Netherlands. SWA is a global partnership of over 90 developing country governments, donors, civil society organizations and other development partners working together towards a common vision of universal access to safe water and adequate sanitation.
During a side event case studies will be presented that show the importance of water and sanitation in schools, hospitals and in the workplace. "We call on governments, including the Dutch government to show more ambition in the area of water, sanitation and hygiene," says Andy Palmen. In the coming months, there are a few occasions where they can anchor this ambition in the SDG's. Dutch Minister Ploumen travels on 12 December to meet other European Ministers of Development Cooperation and to agree on a common position about the SDGs. "It is high time that Ploumen advocates for water and sanitation, including in schools, hospitals and at work," says Palmen.
Editor's Notes
The side event will take place on 4 December from 6 pm, at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, home to Dutch master pieces from the Golden Age, such as Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring. Facilitated by of journalist Charles Groenhuijsen, brief case studies will be presented by Dutch NGOs and representatives of the private sector on innovative ways to provide access to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, health care facilitaties and at the workplace.
Special guests include Dutch national soccer player Aron Winter, and Catarina de Albuquerque, the newly appointed Vice President of SWA. In 2009 she was awarded the Human Rights Golden Medal by the Portuguese Parliament for her excellent work in the field of human rights.
The event on 4 December in the Mauritshuis is organized by Simavi, IRC, NWP in cooperation with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs DGIS.
Contact for the Press:
Andy Palmen | Andy.Palmen@simavi.nl | T. +31 (0)23 517 57 97 | M. +31 (0)6 50 25 09 88
About Simavi
Simavi is an independent international non-profit organisation, striving for a world in which basic health is accessible to all. Basic health is a crucial stepping stone for building a better existence and creating a way out of poverty. We want to have structurally improved basic health of 10 million people in marginalised communities in Africa and Asia by 2020.
Simavi currently works in nine countries: Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, India, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda and Kenya. We know from experience that investments in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are crucial for people to be able to lead a healthy life. Therefore we are specialised in these thematic areas.
About IRC
IRC is an international think-and-do tank that works with governments, NGOs, businesses and people around the world to find long-term solutions to the global crisis in water, sanitation and hygiene services. At the heart of its mission is the aim to move from short-term interventions to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services.
With over 45 years of experience, IRC runs programmes and projects in more than 25 countries and large-scale projects in seven focus countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is supported by a team of over 100 staff across the world.
