Cookie tracking notice
Are we allowed to crumble with cookies and anonymous tracking?

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site (so called session cookies), while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). We use the application Matomo and the external service etracker to analyze your behavior on our website anonymously. Because we value your privacy, we are here with asking your permission to use the following technologies. You can change your settings any time via this link or the menu item in footer menu. For more information visit our Data Policy

Top reads

Find the key documents (compiled in discussion forum posts) and our latest Newsletter of this topic here: 

Join »

Register as a SuSanA member to join this working group and its mailing list.

Sustainable WASH in Institutions and Gender Equality (Leave No One Behind – in communities, schools and other institutions)

Working Group 7

Raising general awareness for sustainable WASH in institutions and gender equality by creating discussion fora and enhancing networking opportunities.


Background

Why focus on WASH in institutions?

Basic WASH services in settings like schools, health care facilities and workplaces are critical to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets on education and health. Aligning the work of WG 7 with the SDGs, it is therefore a logical step for WG 7 to extend its focus to WASH in institutions (i.e. schools, healthcare facilities, workplaces, religious settings, prisons) with the goal of strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and other institutions within community structures.

Doing so, WG 7 can build on its past activities in the area of WASH in schools, which as of now will remain the focus of its work. The Three Star Approach to WASH in Schools (UNICEF/GIZ 2013), for example, even though conceived and implemented long before the adoption of the Agenda 2030, addresses a number of SDGs and brings them to life in an integrated, yet simple framework.

In order to delve into other institutional settings, it is suggested that experts from the health sector are invited as observers to the next SuSanA meetings (SuSanA Anniversary, WG Meeting Minutes, 01/2017).

Why focus on gender equality?

Taking gender aspects into account is essential for sustainable sanitation and hygiene. Targets 6.1. and 6.2 (“equitable access”, “equitable sanitation and hygiene”) are prerequisites for wider improvements in gender equality (SDG 5). In turn, gender inequality becomes particularly apparent when looking at water, sanitation and hygiene issues in developing countries.

The provision of hygiene and sanitation is often considered a woman’s task. Women’s hygienic needs are often silenced or ignored: menstruation, for instance, is considered a taboo in many societies, resulting in insufficient menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Moreover, women are non- or at best underrepresented in decision-making processes regarding toilets, sanitation programs or projects which oftentimes results in female concerns with regard to sanitation practices being rarely addressed. Yet in order to achieve SDG 6 (as well as SDG 4 and 5), the needs of half the population cannot be ignored.

The goal of WG 7 is therefore the mainstreaming of gender into sanitation programs and the involvement of men and women into sanitation projects.

 

Objectives

This working group has two goals:
a. To strengthen water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools and other institutions within community structures. To learn more about the work of WG 7 in the field of WASH in schools, see Factsheet 7a “Sustainable Sanitation for school” (2012, currently under revision).
b. The mainstreaming of gender into sanitation programmes and the involvement of men and women into sanitation projects. To learn more about the work of WG 7 in the field of gender equality, see Factsheet 7b “Integrating a gender perspective in sustainable sanitation” (2012).

Activities achieved so far 

  • addressing the specific needs of both men and women in sustainable sanitation so that both accept the sustainable sanitation solutions: Factsheet: Integrating a gender perspective in sustainable sanitation
  • addressing WASH in Schools and e.g. to show the link of improved school sanitation with academic performance particularly for education of girls and the rural poor. Fact sheet Sustainable sanitation for schools

Collection of WASH in School stories from SuSanA partners:

http://www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/2077

http://www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/2320

 

What is planned and how can you get involved?

  • In light of the Agenda2030, we plan to update the two fact sheets, revising and linking them to the overall SDG agenda.
  • We plan to collect new case stories for successful WASH in institutions, and especially on operation and maintenance and prepare a third publication of stories. 

If you are interested in the planned activities, please contact us!

Beyond these: if you interested in or work with sanitation in rural communities, gender and WASH in institutions, you are most welcome to share your experiences with other players in the sector! Be part of the international sanitation community! Take part in the forum discussions, subscribe to the mailing list and contact us! Looking forward to hearing from you!

show less …

Working Group Leads

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thrive Networks, Vietnam

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
GIZ Philippines

Share this page on    


Follow us on    

SuSanA Partners  currently 400 partners

Show all partners »

Networks Circle

 

Latest SuSanA Blog Articles

  • 02-09-2024Dr. Nasser Tuqan,Elise Mann :
    Bridging Borders: The Role of Climate-Resilient Sanitation in Global Peace and Sustainability »
  • 22-07-2024Andy Narracott:
    Breaking the Myths: Common Misconceptions About Safely Managed Sanitation »
  • 05-07-2024Lourdes Valenzuela:
    Brasilia June 2024: SIRWASH Dialogues: Public Policies for Economic Accessibility to Rural Water and Sanitation Services in the Context of Latin American and Caribbean Countries »
  • 11-06-2024 Ann Thomas:
    Nature Calls – why sanitation is the logical starting point for fighting climate change »
  • 07-05-2024Jeremy Kohlitz,Kaiea Ribanataake Awira,Ngaouea Neemia:
    Can Kiritimati become a model circular economy society? Water and sanitation as potential entry points »
  • 26-03-2024Alice Brandt ,Mascha Kaddori:
    Let’s get wild: Water, sanitation and hygiene at the human-wildlife interface »
  • 21-03-2024Tabeer Riaz:
    Empowering Young Women Water Professionals in South Asia: Leading the Wave of Change »

SuSanA Blog »

SuSanA newsletter

Stay informed about the activities of SuSanA and its partners. The SuSanA newsletter is sent out around four times per year. It contains information about news, events, new partners, projects, discussions and publications of the SuSanA network.

Subscribe to newsletter »

 


close  

 

Resources and publications

Our library has more than 3,000 publications, factsheets, presentations, drawings etc. from many different organisations. It continues to grow thanks to the contributions from our partners.

Add item to library »

The three links below take you to special groups of items in the library for more convenient access:

Projects

The project database contains nearly 400 sanitation projects of many different organizations dealing with research, implementation, advocacy, capacity development etc. Advanced filtering functions and a global map are also available. Information on how and why this database was created is here.

People working for SuSanA partners can add their own projects through their partner profile page. You might need your SuSanA login upgraded for this purpose. Please contact us if you would like to add a project.


Trainings, conference and events materials

Missed important conferences or courses? Catch up by using their materials for self study. These materials have been kindly provided by SuSanA partners.

Shit flow diagrams, excreta flow diagrams (310 SFDs worldwide)

Shit flow diagrams (SFDs) help to visualize excreta management in urban settings. Access SFDs and more through the SFD Portal.

Emersan eCompendium

Humanitarian Sanitation Hub

Sanitation Workers Knowledge and Learning Hub

 


close  

 

Discussion forum

Share knowledge, exchange experiences, discuss challenges, make announcements, ask questions and more. Hint: Your discussion forum login is the same as your SuSanA login. More about the forum's philosophy »


Integrated content

We are hosting content from some other communities of practice and information-sharing portals. This section also provides a link to SuSanA's Sanitation Wikipedia initiative.

Suggest content to add »

SuSanA partners

Not yet a SuSanA partner? Show your organisation's support to SuSanA's vision and engage in  knowledge sharing by becoming partners.

Apply to become a partner »


Individual membership

Register as an individual member of SuSanA free of charge. As a member you can interact with thousands of sanitation enthusiasts on the discussion forum.  You can also get engaged in one of our 13 working groups and our regional chapters. Our FAQs explain the benefits further.

By getting a SuSanA login you can fully participate in the SuSanA community!

Register as a member

Login


Forgot your password?
Forgot your username?

 


close