Think global, campaign local

If the UK's sanitation and water system shut down tomorrow, what would you do about it? Would you shrug your shoulders, asks Tom Burgess, or would you take action and campaign for your basic human rights?

In Nepal, around 18 million people live without anywhere safe to go to the toilet. Official statistics say that 84% have access to water, but that says nothing about contaminated wells and distant sources. Put simply, there is a crisis in sanitation and water, and the resulting diseases kill thousands every year.

Unfortunately, as WaterAid supporters know, this is not unique to Nepal. Millions of people across the world live without these essential services. So, how do you begin to tackle such a huge problem? The answer is to think global and campaign local.

Campaigning for sanitation and water for all: WaterAid took the End Water Poverty calls to the United Nations.

Credit: WaterAid / Steve Cockburn

Just as the global sanitation and water crisis is made up of local crises, so an international campaign to tackle it is made up of local efforts. Lajana Manandhar, Director of WaterAid's partner Lumanti Support Group for Shelter in Nepal, believes knowledge has the power to inspire action.

Locally her organisation is constructing small-scale 'eco-communities' where human waste is disposed of safely and rainwater harvesting systems provide safe water. Internationally, she is using her practical experience to call for more to be done in her country and across the world.

Speaking in the UK earlier this year to an audience of campaigners she said, "The treatment of urban human waste is an urgent issue. We need to focus on it. Governments need to focus on it. We must not just be 'concerned', we must take action, wherever it is possible, at whatever scale it is possible."

True to her word, she inspired people in London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester to be among the thousands of people signing End Water Poverty's petition to the G8 calling for a global action plan for sanitation and water.

Campaigners took to the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal

Credit: WaterAid

Lajana then flew back to Nepal where End Water Poverty's target was the national government. She joined up with WaterAid and the rest of the coalition for a huge rally in the capital, Kathmandu. The location had changed, but the message was the same as the one she delivered in the UK: sanitation and water for all.

Her fellow campaigner Rabin Lal Shrestha, WaterAid's Advocacy Manager in Nepal, describes the day of the rally.

"I travelled to Ratna Park early in the morning, full of worries and uncertainty about the success or failure of the event. The crowds started to build up on the busy road, eagerly reading messages about sanitation.

"Volunteers in End Water Poverty t-shirts were explaining the campaign to passers-by. Soon, people rushed to register their name and address in a big log book and sign their name on a huge white banner 60 metres long!

"Within an hour we had to rush off to buy extra pieces of white cloth as the banner was about two-thirds filled! No one had expected this volume of people.

"It was a blend of all types: the ex-mayor of Kathmandu was there, actors and actresses, university teachers, students, along with members of the general public.

Face painters help relay the End Water Poverty message in Nepal.

Credit: WaterAid

"Face-painters were busy putting the End Water Poverty logo on people's faces. Journalists were circulating, asking for people's reaction. A band came along, adding even more life into the event."

More than 30,000 signatures were collected on the day, which were added to the 115,000 signatures already gathered from 33 districts around the capital. This was not just a massive local petition, this was part of an international campaign. The voice of thousands of people could not be ignored.

Rabin explains, "Two days after, the Prime Minister granted an audience so we could explain the purpose and calls. We believe this is the beginning of a critical decision-making period from the Government. One thing for sure is that the event built our confidence that we can do it and that campaigning does work!"

Nothing ever changes without campaigning. In a perfect world, governments would respond better to the needs of the poor, who consistently put safe water and sanitation at the top of their list of priorities.

But the reality is that governments all over the world are failing in their responsibilities to provide such basic human rights. That failure results in the deaths of around 1.8 million children every single year. That's 5,000 kids a day dying for want of a clean toilet and safe water.

The injustice is shocking. Continuing inaction is indefensible. Poverty will never be eradicated without sanitation and safe water. But together we can do something about it. Please sign up to help End Water Poverty today. (Opens in a new window)