Toilet Conference 2025 concludes with strong commitments to global sanitation advancement

The Toilet Conference 2025, held at the Hotel InterContinental Dhaka on February 25-26, concluded with promising commitments to advancing global sanitation solutions. As a key convener and active participant, WaterAid played a central role in making the conference successful, reinforcing its commitment to equitable and innovative sanitation for all. 

Along with WaterAid, ITN-BUET, SNV and UNICEF also took on the pivotal role of Convener. the conference had RFL as Platinum Partner, BRAC and Practical Action as Gold Partners, and DPHE and WHO as Strategic Partners. FrogBID served as the Technical Partner, while InterContinental Dhaka ensured premium event facilities as the Hospitality Partner. SSLCommerz secured all payments as the Payment Gateway Partner, with bKash, Tylox, and Bhumijo as key contributors. Additionally, the conference was supported by renowned global organisations, including the Gates Foundation, Kimberly-Clark, the Embassy of the Netherlands, the Government of Sweden (Sverige), and the UK International Development, reinforcing its international significance. 

The opening day featured an inaugural ceremony attended by H E Mr Andre Carstens, Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh; H E Mr Nicolas Weeks, Ambassador, Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka; Ms Hasin Jahan, Country Director, WaterAid Bangladesh; Ms Rana Flowers, Representative, UNICEF Bangladesh; and Mr Jack Sim Juek Wah, Founder, World Toilet Organization, among other dignitaries.

A plenary session on innovative technologies and climate-resilient sanitation featured keynote presentations from Ms Juliet Willetts, Professor, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, and Emeritus Professor Mr Feroze Ahmed, Stamford University Bangladesh. Discussions revolved around emerging solutions to enhance climate adaptability in sanitation services.

The second plenary session on sanitation financing and private sector engagement was addressed by Ms Antoinette Kome, Global Head of Water, SNV, and Ms Anandita Kakkar, Leader of Marketing, SATO (Asia), highlighting the need for collaborative investment in sanitation infrastructure.

The second day of the conference deepened discussions on gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) and climate-resilient sanitation, with keynote speeches from Mr Tanvir Ahmed, Professor, BUET, and Mr Keshav Das, Programme Specialist, UNICEF South Asia Regional Office.

A dedicated session on private sector engagement and innovative technology featured insights from Mr Jack Sim Juek Wah, Founder, World Toilet Organization, and Dr Roshan Raj Shrestha, Deputy Director, Gates Foundation, emphasising the critical role of businesses in driving sanitation innovation. Technical sessions led by Ms Maya Igarashi-Wood and Ms Ishrat Shabnam facilitated knowledge-sharing on inclusive sanitation policies, financing mechanisms, and digital innovations.

WaterAid played a pivotal role in driving conversations at the conference, leading and contributing to three key technical sessions that addressed pressing sanitation challenges and proposed strategic solutions:

• Advancing Climate-Resilient and Safely Managed Sanitation (SMS): WaterAid, alongside UNICEF and WHO, led a session focused on integrating global insights to advance climate-resilient and safely managed sanitation (SMS). Experts like Mr Guy Norman, Mr Sudarshan Aparane (WaterAid Nepal), and Ms Maya Igarashi-Wood (Senior Lead, WaterAid) facilitated discussions on policy integration, financing strategies, governance frameworks, and capacity-building measures to scale up safely managed sanitation services.
• WASH Finance in Bangladesh: Exploring Investment, Expenditure, and Future Pathways: WaterAid Bangladesh’s Mr Partha Hefaz Shaikh contributed to an in-depth discussion on the National WASH accounts, analysing investment trends, expenditure patterns, and disparities in funding allocation, especially in rural and underserved areas. This session, featuring experts from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, IRC, and WaterAid Bangladesh, sought to identify solutions and policy directions for sustainable WASH financing.
• What’s a Sanitation Service Model?: Led by WaterAid UK’s Mr Guy Norman and WaterAid Bangladesh’s Mr Yeasin Arafat, alongside key partners from IRC, DPHE, RFL, WSUP, Practical Action, and the PPP Authority, this session explored effective service models for sanitation delivery across diverse urban and rural contexts. The discussion aimed to refine WaterAid’s approach and ensure its relevance to sector stakeholders, fostering greater collaboration for sustainable sanitation solutions.

The conference concluded with remarks from Mr Abu Borhan Mohammad Badruzzaman, Vice-Chancellor, BUET, Mr A H M Kamruzzaman, Additional Secretary, Local Government Division, and Dr Khairul Islam, Regional Director, WaterAid, who reiterated the importance of sustainable investments, policy reforms, and cross-sectoral collaboration in achieving SDG 6—universal access to sanitation.

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