The International Water Association (IWA) is marking UN World Toilet Day, held annually on 19 November to raise awareness of the 3.6 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation worldwide. The Association is a formal supporter of the awareness day promoted by UN Water.

This year’s theme focuses on making the invisible visible, highlighting the connection between safe sanitation and groundwater protection. Building on this theme, IWA has published a blog series exploring the issues and opportunities around sanitation. Read more here: https://iwa-network.org/blog/

The theme aligns with IWA’s recently-launched Inclusive Sanitation initiative. Far too many people in towns and cities around the world still lack access to safely managed sanitation. The initiative aims to reshape the global urban sanitation agenda focusing on the need for an accelerated and inclusive approach to expanding safe service coverage – beyond just technology advancements and infrastructural development.

The initiative is being promoted through a dedicated campaign – SanitAction – to gather the support and collaborative action needed to secure progress. The initiative will draw up a framework with wide practical applicability to define global goals and fundamentals of a public service approach to outcomes that can advance inclusive urban sanitation, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Join the conversation online and have your say using #SanitAction.

Suresh Rohilla, Inclusive Urban Sanitation Programme Lead at IWA, added: “We are thrilled to see a rise in support for inclusive WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) globally. Our initiative will draw up a framework with wide practical applicability to define global goals and fundamentals of a public service approach to outcomes that can advance inclusive urban sanitation, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Achieving safe, inclusive sanitation service outcomes requires dynamic governance and public service systems that incentivise delivery of public good outcomes.  This initiative on ensuring that sanitation is inclusive encompasses resilience to climate change and adoption of circular economy principles – covering sanitation as an integral element of urban water sustainability.” 

IWA’s activity on sanitation also includes a dedicated IWA Specialist Group on Non-Sewered Sanitation (NSS), and other Specialist Groups with sanitation as a focus, such as those on: Efficient Urban Water Management, Resources-Oriented Sanitation, Sanitation and Water Management in Developing Countries, and Health Related Water Microbiology.

Jay Bhagwan, chair of the NSS Specialist Group, recently participated in a short online film that is part of the Beneath the Surface series produced by BBC StoryWorks showcasing examples of innovation taking place across the world of water. The film below features just one of the growing number of innovative on-site sanitation technologies which can advance the provision of safe sanitation for all.