Exposing the sanitation crisis

61% of people in Bangladesh do not have access to sanitation.

Credit: WaterAid / Kate Eshelby

2008 is the UN's International Year of Sanitation. The aim of the year is to get the international community back on track towards achieving the sanitation target of the Millennium Development Goals - to halve the proportion of people living without sanitation by 2015.

To launch the year in Bangladesh WaterAid is organising a sanitation and water exhibition in Dhaka from 4-5 March 2008 to raise awareness of the sanitation crisis, which kills 5,000 children every day, and to look at how it can be addressed.

Those who will be attending include Ministry Officials from the Local Government, representatives from major sector actors including the UN and 26 of WaterAid's partner organisations in Bangladesh.

The exhibition will bring the sector together to discuss access to sanitation at the community level. One of the aims is to persuade the government to adopt sustainable integrated water supply and sanitation programmes and to share best practices.

The seminars will also demonstrate different approaches to help the poor and the most vulnerable communities gain access to basic water and sanitation services, vital in a country where 61% of people do not have access to sanitation.

In addition to the seminars there will be displays to demonstrate current technologies, evening cultural shows on a water and sanitation theme and a closing ceremony on the second day to highlight leanings.

It is hoped that the event will demonstrate the commitment of sector participants to continue working together towards achieving the objectives of the International Year of Sanitation 2008 and the Millennium Development Goals.