The Third South Asian Conference on Sanitation

The Third South Asian Conference on Sanitation

Thematic Session Title: Sanitation for DignityChairs: Ms.Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, India; Ms Rashida Choudhury, Advisor, Government of Bangladesh and Ms Shanta Sheela Nair, Secretary, Department of Rural water Supply, Government of India Co-Chair: Ms.Barbara Frost, Chief Executive, WaterAid, UK

Rapporteurs: Dr.Indira Khurana (WaterAid) India and Mr.R.Murali, FANSA India Presenters:Dr.Bindeshwar Pathak (Sulabh International) India: Sulabh Sanitation System for Sustainable Socio-Economic and Environment Improvement

Ms.P.Amudha, District Collector, Dharmapuri, Govt. of Tamilnadu, India

Menstrual Hygiene Management Initiatives

Ms.Maeve Hall & Mr.Shah Riazur Rahman, Bangladesh

Inclusive Sanitation Breaking down barriers.

Mr.Namaste Lal Shreshtha & Ms.Shova Adhikari, UNICEF Nepal

A successful model to promote school and community sanitation & hygiene situation in NepalDr.Jos Chathukulam & Dr.K.Gireesan, CRM (India)

Total Sanitation Campaign and Nirmal Gram Puraskar an overview of 4 Indian States

Ms.Parveen Rahman The Orangi Pilot Project, issues and Institutions Key statements and conclusion of the session:1. Sanitation is necessary for social empowerment, education and livelihood generation.

2. The category of poor has various sub-categories living in highly diversified social and cultural context of the region and keeping the same in view, a range of affordable models of sanitation technologies, particularly toilets need to be developed rather than imposing rigid conditions of technologies / services.

3. The Sulabh sanitation approach has very well demonstrated that the recycling of waste from public toilets not only contributes to environmental sanitation but also results in saving of water, energy and expensive fertilizers.

4. Technologies as well as method of service delivery play equally important role in determining the dignity of the people engaged in providing sanitation services.

5. Elimination of manual scavenging and providing dignified livelihoods demands high quality education and alternative skill development and such process should not be in isolation rather should pave way for integrating these marginalized sections with the rest of the society. Whatever may be the economic prosperity and the measure of the growth it is worthless if dignity and health of the people is not ensured.6. Sulabhs experience of making attractive business from Sanitation inverts the economic proposition of sanitation and scaling of such models have great potential of accelerating sanitation progress.

7. The very inclusion of the presentation on menstrual Hygiene Management in the SACOSAN-III is a clear indicator of progress in the field of Sanitation. Menstrual hygiene management should be viewed from a holistic perspective covering health, psychological, social and rights issues.8. Good menstrual sanitation services mean giving full freedom to women, their empowerment. Menstrual hygiene management should include awareness promotion (including parents, men and youth), attitudinal changes, sanitation services including low cost sanitary napkins and safe disposal of waste.

9. Sanitation must be all-inclusive. Options must be available for people with special needs such as those with physical disabilities. Inappropriate toilets can be as painful as Indians squatting for the aged people. User friendly sanitation facilities particularly for the aged and differently abled population is absolutely essential to achieve the goal of Total Sanitation. There is no question of sanitation growth being inclusive without addressing the specific needs of differently abled population.10. Sanitation is a onetime mission and if one generation is sensitized they will carry it forward for the future generations. From this perspective school lead Total Sanitation plays a very promising role in achieving the Sanitation goals.11. From planning perspective, cross cutting implications of lack of sanitation must be understood and Sanitation should be located in the integrated framework of public health, multi sectoral convergence on sanitation should be emphasized and proper funding must be ensured for sanitation interventions.

12. Incentives in the form of NGP Awards (India) or Kushal Fund (Pakistan) proved to be very effective in bringing up sanitation as an important political agenda in the local bodies of governance. Such programmes also generated good social mobilization and it has also motivated the local bodies to address issues of exclusion with respect to sanitation progress. Continuing to focus the best accomplished communities as learning centers for other population helps in checking the slip back phenomenon.

13. Sensitization and involvement of corporate sector, particularly the CSR initiatives can offer a great deal of support to speedup the sanitation progress.14. Orangi project of Pakistan proved that the urban poor have great willingness to share the costs of components / activities of sanitation. Such a cost sharing approach also proved to be very effective in creating sense of community ownership and the responsible spending has drastically reduced the cost of creating sanitation infrastructure.15. Sanitation champions and communities can be motivated by rewards.

16. Mapping and documentation of the sanitation conditions has empowered the local communities to plan the sanitation development and also to monitor the sanitation services. Mapping is important when services to the urban population are provided, 17. The region has a treasure of best practices of sanitation development. The SACOSAN conferences provide a great opportunity to share and learn from the same. With an open mind all the actors should recognize, appreciate and endeavor to scale up these best practices for achieving the Health and Dignity goals of Sanitation.Points for the Delhi Declaration

1. All people should have a right to sanitation.

2. Sanitation policy and programme must be all-inclusive. Special efforts, options and guidelines are needed for inclusive sanitation

3. Gender sensitive sanitation should be provided in schools

4. Menstrual hygiene management should be a part of sanitation

5. Cross-cutting implications of sanitation need to be recognized

6. Sanitation needs to be included in integrated public health policy

7. Scavengers to be freed and rehabilitated from their dehumanizing occupation.