Join the online debate on WASH in Schools

From 7 April to 6 May 2011 IRC and UNICEF are organising a web-based debate on four topics around what we can do to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools in the developing world. Right now less than half of all primary schools have access to safe water and just over a third have adequate sanitation in countries where data are available.

Outcomes of this discussion will feed into a European Call for Action on WASH in Schools that is scheduled on 24 and 25 May in The Hague. The international Call to Action for WASH in Schools campaign was launched in 2010 calling on decision-makers to increase investments and on concerned stakeholders to plan and act in cooperation, so that all children go to a school with child-friendly water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

To learn more go to: www.source.irc.nl/page/62851 or go straight to the online debate.

Sanitation at the 2010 Stockholm World Water Week

Sanitation & Health is one of themes at the 2010 Stockholm World Water Week, which is being held from 05-11 September.

An overview of all events related to this theme is available through the event finder.

Here are some of the sanitation highlights:

Seminars

5 September
Reducing the Risks of Untreated Wastewater Irrigation: Strategies and Incentives
Convenors: IWMI, IDRC, WHO, FAO and World Bank (tbc)

Key issues concerning the implementation of the new wastewater use guidelines, such as financial and non-financial incentives to adopt safer practices, social marketing and behaviour change, economic benefits and subsidies and cost effectiveness of risk reduction options.

6 September
Sanitation, Hygiene and Water for All – Promoting Equity and Inclusion
Convenors: WaterAid and WSSCC

Key approaches and case studies in sanitation and hygiene promotion through the lens of equity and inclusion.

9 September
Follow-up on Call to Action on WASH in Schools
Convenors: UNICEF and WASH in Schools Partners

This session is designed to help development partners and selected Government partners to work on strategies to engage with the Call to Action for WASH in Schools advocacy campaign launched in April 2010.

Side Events

6 September
The Economics of Sanitation – Impacts, Mitigation, and Efficiency of Sanitation Options
Convenor: WSP

Results from African, East Asian and South Asian countries assessments on the costs and benefits of selected sanitation investments will be presented.

7 September
What Knowledge do we need to do better on Sanitation?
Convenors: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) with ICDDR,B, IIED, Slumdwellers International and WaterAid

This session will showcase the [SHARE [Sanitation and Hygiene Applied Research for Equity] research agenda and ask what are the big questions that the sanitation sector must now answer.

9 Sept
Using Output-Based Aid for Sustainable Sanitation
Convenors: Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA) and WSP

A framework paper on Output-Based Aid (OBA) in sanitation and specific OBA sanitation projects under development will be discussed. Presenters will also draw on experience with OBA in other sectors (e.g. water, health, energy and telecoms).

Call to Action for WASH in Schools

A coalition of international organisations led by UNICEF is launching a Call to Action on WASH in Schools. The official launch takes place on 3–6 April 2010 at the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD).

This Call to Action coalition includes CARE, Dubai Cares, Emory University Center for Global Safe Water, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Save the Children, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Water Advocates, WaterAid, Water For People and the World Health Organization (WHO). It calls on decision-makers to increase investments and on concerned stakeholders to plan and act in cooperation – so that all children go to a school with child-friendly water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

Call to Action flagship publication

Background information and campaign materials (brochures and posters) are available on UNICEF’s Wash in Schools web page and a campaign web site washinschools.com.

The campaign is promoting five  key messages:

1. Children’s health improves with WASH in Schools
2. WASH in Schools increases attendance and cognitive development
3. Improving WASH in Schools is achievable
4. Students are agents of change in their communities
5. WASH in Schools promotes gender equality

Follow the campaign on Twitter

WASH in Schools poster