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WaterAid blogs from Delhi24 November 2008 One million children have died from diarrhoea in South Asia in the two years since the last South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) in 2006. This is the true cost of slow progress. When will it start to count? This is the question WaterAid and its partners raised at SACOSAN, which took place from 16-21 November 2008.
Throughout the week, WaterAid and its partners Freshwater Action Network South Asia (FANSA) and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) joined more than 100 civil society organisations in Delhi to demand action. WaterAid's Regional Programme Officer for Asia, Tom Burgess, blogged live from Delhi during the event. Read his daily postings here to find out how events unfolded at SACOSAN 2008... You can also read the blog, and add your comments, on the WaterAid News blogger site (link opens in new window). Day one: Sunday 16 NovIt's been a long day. In the heart of Delhi, we gathered this evening to silently commemorate the one million children killed by diarrhoeal diseases since the last SACOSAN in 2006. Earlier, journalists and photographers from Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan have been busy all day with cameras and microphones, holding interviews in corners and corridors with the assembled experts and activists from over 150 grassroots organisations. Fingers crossed that these stories and pictures make headlines and don't get bumped by events elsewhere. One million dead in South Asia since 2006. What more do you want to call this a disaster? An earthquake? Today was all about getting together behind our calls to action. In two days’ time ministers from across the region meet for the SACOSAN. While we're being constructive in our criticism, we can't shy away from presenting sanitation ministers with the stark fact that a million children have died of diarrhoeal diseases since the last SACOSAN and a lot of previous promises have not been delivered on.
As one of our Nepali campaigners said today, "Sanitation is not just a moral imperative, it’s a human right! 5,000 kids dying worldwide every day from diarrhoea, one million dead in South Asia since 2006. What more do you want to call this a disaster? An earthquake? A tsunami?” Tomorrow: a Kollywood actress joins the cause, we announce our declaration and prepare to work the official (and less official) channels at the SACOSAN... Day two: Monday 17 NovAnother intense day. The task for all of us was to cram 48 hours into a few powerful lines. When the debating and editing was over, Joe Madiath, a renowned Indian activist from an organisation called Gram Vikas, asked us all to endorse our 'declaration' that states: "There is human suffering on an unprecedented scale. Business as usual by our governments is not an option." The show of hands was almost unanimously in favour.
It's important to realise that we're only asking governments to honour previous commitments. The details of our 'declaration' include telling governments to go beyond delivering latrines and ticking boxes. Sanitation programmes should be about eradicating open defecation, improving hygiene practices and removing barriers to a life of dignity – things as simple as separate facilities at schools for girls. Business as usual by our governments is not an option To end today, never let it be said that campaigning isn't glamorous! Jharana Thapa, a famous Nepali film actress (Jharana, meaning 'waterfall', from Kollywood - like Bollywood, but from Kathmandu), is an End Water Poverty ambassador. Any politician getting starry eyed by the occasion over the next few days should heed her realism: "As a cine artist I often work in the world of dreams. However, reality is different in South Asia. Here, many women don't eat during the day because they are afraid to go out in the open to defecate." Tomorrow: we check out the facilities at the opening ceremony and put people off their canapés by talking about sanitation issues. Day three: Tuesday 18 NovAs today was registration day and the inauguration ceremony we didn't expect to be able to report much back. We were wrong. In his opening address, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister, said: "Good sanitation should be the birthright of every citizen in South Asia." Politicians can often be very careful with language around rights. This was not only a confident statement that gave hope to all of us who had just spent so much time and effort working with organisations who passionately believe sanitation must be delivered to all, it was also delivered by the leader of one the biggest countries in the world. Good sanitation should be the birthright of every citizen in South Asia Oliver Cumming, WaterAid's Sanitation Policy Officer, welcomed Dr Singh's "timely and poignant" words, but added that "while so many children continue to die from easily preventable diseases and progress on sanitation remains slow, we hope that the governments of South Asia will now act." Tomorrow: working in all directions to turn all of our words and thinking into more and better action. Day four: Wednesday 19 NovSomething of an exclusive to report on World Toilet Day! The WaterAid India team managed to monopolise the Indian Minister for Rural Development last night and they have the photos to prove it! As he came off stage at the end of the inauguration ceremony, the Minister and Chair of the SACOSAN, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, a very charismatic man, approached our team to debate the issues. We presented our declaration, pressed a copy into his hand, and the discussions rolled on from there. Bodyguards and advisers were helpless as our group walked and talked him over to our exhibition stand where we have posters about menstrual hygiene and a low-cost machine that makes simple sanitary pads. A colleague even asked him to sign one! In the spirit of collaboration it was good to see the Minister's willingness to engage in lively debate for over half an hour with us. Today, so far the most interesting statements have come from an eminent scientist and engineer, Dr Swamnathan, who echoed WaterAid's Tackling the silent killer report ( Sanitation is crucial to food security For the region to meet its targets, we need information and awareness to spread fast. "Sanitation literacy" is the key, he said. More later... Day five: Thursday 20 NovemberThis is the eve of the official SACOSAN declaration being announced. Joe Madiath, who I mentioned on day two, an activist friend of WaterAid's from an organisation in eastern India, presented our 'civil society declaration' today and made clear our demands for urgent action. It's crucial that ministers draft tomorrow's declaration with the voice of the poorest people in the region ringing in their ears. The action that flows from this conference has the potential to save millions of lives and transform society for future generations. Oliver Cumming, our Sanitation Policy Officer, powerfully addressed the huge main hall, pointing to the evidence that hygiene education and sanitation are the most cost effective health interventions and yet poor sanitation and hygiene practices underlie a quarter of all child deaths – 2.4 million children a year. We need much more than words... we need total All around the building are posters of famous Indian leaders – Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sonia Gandhi – and their quotes on sanitation and its fundamental nature to human progress and dignity. And yet in 2008, around half the people of the region, people living near to this conference centre, have no choice but to squat in alleys and bushes and die in their millions from diarrhoeal diseases. Prime Minister Dr Singh's sincere statement on Tuesday night will go down in history as another inspiring vision but we need much more than words. We need total commitment to total action on total sanitation – a way to plan, monitor and deliver. It's not hyperbole to say that the sustainable development, dignity and health of the region depends upon it. Tomorrow: the official SACOSAN declaration is announced. Day six: Friday 21 NovemberThe governments of South Asia have made an unprecedented statement: sanitation is now recognised as a basic right. Not only that but the official SACOSAN declaration addresses all of the themes in our 'civil society declaration', so our advocacy efforts have been successful. We were cautiously hopeful over the past four days, but those opening words from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh – "Good sanitation should be the birthright of every citizen in South Asia" – did actually underpin the official declaration. We made sure that ministers heard the voices of the hundreds of grassroots partners. This was a week of discussions in big halls, side rooms and corridors. The result is a major breakthrough. Sanitation is now a national priority, total and sustainable sanitation is possible and a "cherished goal", women and vulnerable groups will be addressed as a priority, hygiene education will be part of school curricula and separate facilities for girls "promoted", and sanitation and hygiene will be integrated into health and education policies. Now comes the task of translating the SACOSAN declaration into reality "This is a clear commitment to tackling the regional sanitation crisis," said Oliver Cumming, WaterAid's Sanitation Policy Officer. "However, in a region where one billion people still lack access, urgent government action is needed so we don't reconvene in 2010 to lament the needless deaths of another million children." As Isha Prasad Bhagwat, WaterAid's Country Representative in India, said, "Now comes the task of translating the SACOSAN declaration into reality." So, sanitation is now a basic right in South Asia but it is far from being a reality. Words and declarations are important, and this one is historic, but one billion people need those promises to be honoured and fast. WaterAid and our partners will continue to work with governments and all stakeholders. Public pressure creates political will. Nothing happens without campaigning. As our supporters, we will need your help in holding South Asian governments accountable to the inspiring promises they made today. Find out more:
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