Reviewing the International Year of Sanitation 2008 Kenza Kaouakib-Robinson United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) IYS 2008 Focal Point

Background – why IYS? At the World Summit in Johannesburg, the issue of sanitation received global recognition as a centerpiece for poverty eradication  complemented the MDG target to halve the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015 Despite significant efforts by governments, progress on sanitation targets have been slow and uneven, 41% of the global population is still lacking access to basic sanitation facilities and sanitation is still an institutional orphan Against this background, the General Assembly declared, in December 2006, the year 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation

IYS Global Launch The IYS was officially launched on November 21, 2007 Launch organized by UNDESA in collaboration with UN-Water Task Force on Sanitation

IYS Objectives 1. Increase awareness and commitment from actors at all levels; 2. Mobilize governments; 3. Secure real commitments; 4. Encourage demand driven, sustainable & traditional solutions, and informed choices; 5. Secure increased financing; 6. Develop and strengthen institutional and human capacity; 7. Enhance the sustainability; 8. Promote and capture learning.

IYS Material IYS Website : Advocacy Kit – "Sanitation Matters: what you should know and what you can do" An aid for politicians, advocates and media by providing compelling arguments for investments in sanitation print copies in English, French and Spanish Available for download on the website Flagship Publication – "Tackling a global crisis" Available in all six official UN languages Promotional material IYS logo lapel pins

Flagship publication - A call to Action Key messages: 1. Sanitation is vital for health 2. Sanitation contributes to social development 3. Sanitation is a good economic investment 4. Sanitation helps the environment 5. Sanitation is achievable

Virtual scrap book Beyond the IYS – Sanitation for All The UN-Water Task Force on Sanitation is preparing an online virtual scrap book to celebrate the achievements of the IYS Available online in June Dedicated to country-level achievements of IYS Illustration of the ongoing dialogue and action for improved sanitation

World Water Day 2008  Organized on 20 March, 2008 with the theme "Sanitation Matters!"  UN-Celebrations: "Standing Up for those who cannot sit down": A Public Toilet Queue as awareness raising event in Central Park, New York and Palais des Nations, Geneva  More than 100 local and global events were organized around the world: Water poetry contest (global), Well tapped – water for people benefit (Canada), Water for all (Croatia), 12-hour swim for water (Hungary),

Global Handwashing Day 2008 A global event organized on October 15, 2008 initiated at the World Water Forum 2008 by the Public Private Partnership for Hand washing (PPPHW) 85 participating countries, 200 million participating school children

GLOBAL SANITATION FUND (GSF) Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) GSF was launched in March 2008 because more people lack sanitation than water, but fewer agencies and actors are working with sanitation. The GSF objectives: large numbers of people attain safe and sustainable sanitation and adopt good hygiene practices, especially women, girls and the poor in rural and peri-urban areas. The GSF is a multi-donor pooled fund that supports national efforts to scale up successful demand-led approaches. Target countries are selected using clear criteria that indicate need and readiness to implement a collaborative approach.

Action at National Level Launches of the IYS Media events, workshops and/or exhibitions Policy implications

Examples of NGOs’ Action German Toilet Organization (GTO) organizes a travelling exhibition to raise awareness on sanitation and break the toilet taboo. © GTO Women for Water Partnership (WfWP) organized a Regional Working Conference in Paramaribo, Suriname. Various field projects involving women in WATSAN were discussed.

LatinoSAN Cali, Colombia Nov, 2007 Regional Conferences AfricaSAN Durban, South Africa Feb, 2008 CaribSAN Kingston, Jamaica April, 2008 SacoSAN New Delhi, India Nov, 2008 EASAN Beppu, Japan Dec, 2007

Expert Group Meeting “Gender- Disaggregated Data on Water and Sanitation” UN HQ New York, 2-3 December, 2008 Jointly organized by UN-DESA and UNW-DPC 26 gender, water, sanitation and data experts OUTCOMES: A summary of best practices, successes and failures in gender- disaggregated data collection An inventory of data on gender and water and sanitation A prioritized framework for directions/recommendations

Key Results The IYS has generated considerable global awareness for the cause of improved sanitation and initiated a will among the international community to work more coherently towards this issue … IYS was only the beginning – the good work shall now continue!

Thank you!