On Standards, Guides & Compendiums
In the arena of WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene), the month of March has been an exciting one. International Women's Day (8 March) and World Water Day (22 March) all happened in the month of March.
In this article, we would like to highlight several resources which could lend you insights on the state of sanitation in the world, as well as guides and compendium to refer to for the current standards in the world of WASH. Before we start, you can watch this short video on a few quick facts on the current global sanitation crisis. Details are available on our website.
Under-fives living in countries experiencing protracted conflict are 20 times more likely to die from causes linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence. (UNICEF 2019)
Some 297 000 children – more than 800 every day – under five who die annually from diarrhoea diseases due to poor sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water.?These deaths are preventable. (WHO 2019).
We Won't Wait
The statistics and figures are alarming. You can find out more by reading our post: Important Facts on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. It is launched in conjunction with a music video titled "We Won't Wait", with the lyrics, music and lead vocal by Nick Wheeler. This music video shows the transformation of the lives of children who were beneficiaries of the Rainbow School Toilet project.
Watch how the rural school toilets transform the lives of these children who subsequently took ownership to maintain the cleanliness and hygiene standards of the toilets. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene are closely related. Any effort to address any of these agenda will work much more effectively when it holistically considers all these three aspects. Instilling hygiene practices could possibly be more challenging than the provision of sanitation and water because it involves behavioural changes. Whatever it is, "We Won't Wait" to address the issue of lack of safe and clean toilets in rural schools in many parts of the world.
Almost half of the schools in the world do not have hand-washing facilities with soap and water available to students. Clean and safe toilets help keep more girls in school and increase attendance rates. Far too many girls miss out on education just because of the lack of a clean and safe toilet. (WHO/UNICEF 2020)
Do you know that toilets drive improvements in gender equality, education, economics and the environment??
Read this report by UNCEF to find out Why Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Must Be Top On Your Climate Agenda.
Compendium and Guide for WASH Professionals
If you are a WASH professional, you may be familiar with the Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies. It presents a huge range of information on sanitation systems and technologies, and can serve as a useful planning tool for making informed decisions related to sanitation in different contexts and communities. This compendium can be downloaded for free.
There has been growing trend in the interest in sanitation resource recovery, so please find out more about Guide to Sanitation Resource Recovery Products & Technologies.
What is the current state of sanitation?
Any effort to reach the desired goal of delivering sanitation for all by 2030 will often require clarity of the current state of sanitation. When we are clear on this, it is easier to plan and reach the desired goal. We invite you to find out about UNICEF's State of the World's Sanitation Report . The world is alarmingly off-track! What are the opportunities to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal targets for sanitation? What actions could be needed to meet the challenges?
领英推荐
Please watch this presentation by Kelly Ann Naylor, presenting UNICEF - State of World's Sanitation Report at World Toilet Summit 2020.
Sanitation Standards
Furthermore, staying close to the topic of Sanitation Standards, we highly recommend that you could please watch the presentation, Standards in the Development of the Sanitation Industry, by Doulaye Kone, Deputy Director at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at World Toilet Summit 2020. He spoke on the importance and impact of standards, International (ISO) Sanitation Standards and that universal access to sanitation saves lives. We have transcribed his entire presentation for your convenience. To access it, please turn on the subtitles/closed captions function.
An excerpt of his presentation is available too for everyone who is curious about the importance and impact of sanitation standards.
Last but not the least, we invite you to watch Dr. Deljana Iossifova's presentation on World Toilet Design Standards which was presented at a panel discussion on World Toilets Standards & Design at World Toilet Summit 2020. As much as we may like the idea of a one-size-fits-all solution, it turns out that there is no one singular sanitation system that could fit and cater to the needs of people in all the different parts of the world.
Below is an excerpt of her presentation to get each of us started.
Other resources
Do you have a resource to recommend?
Is there any other resource that is not listed here that we could recommend to anyone interested in the WASH sector?
You can write us a comment, or email us at [email protected]
About World Toilet Organization
Find out more about the work that WTO does. Visit our website: https://www.worldtoilet.org
We welcome donations to support the work that we do. You can make a contribution of any amount here: https://www.worldtoilet.org/donate/
If you wish to get more involved to address the global sanitation crisis as an individual or a social entrepreneur, or you are part a NGO or Corporate entity who wants to support WTO's work, you can find out more about our membership packages here: https://www.worldtoilet.org/get-involved/membership-package/
Please join us to make this vision a reality as soon as possible: A world with a clean, safe toilet for everyone, everywhere at all times.
Thank you for reading this article.