Over 500 international and national delegations from eight SAARC countries are convening for 7th South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN-VII) from April 10-14, 2018 in Islamabad. According to JMP 2.3 billion people globally and 711 million in South Asia are without access to a decent toilet. Government officials, experts, civil society and business delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are assembling in Islamabad for the 7th edition of SACOSAN to discuss growing sanitation and wastewater management challenges in the region. The conference will be inaugurated on 11th April 2018 by VVIP while the Honorable Federal Minister of Climate Change of Islamic Republic of Pakistan will be chief guest during the closing ceremony of the 7th SACOSAN on 13th April 2018. The SACOSAN is an important government-led conference held every second year on a rotational basis in eight South Asian countries. This regional conference has been an essential platform to discuss and develop a regional agenda on sanitation and come together every alternate year to track the progress and learn from each other. The 7th SACOSAN, in Islamabad, is the first SACOSAN after the adoption of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change. SACOSAN 7 provides a unique opportunity to discuss sanitation issues collectively, develop deeper south-south cooperation and deliver transformative solutions to achieve SDGs in the region. With growing population and urbanization, providing sustainable sanitation services in the region is becoming ever more challenging. Climate change has also threatened sustainable sanitation service delivery in South Asia. Approximately 1.1 billion people live without access to either water or sanitation. More than 40% of the 2.3 billion people in the region are without access to a decent toilet or adequate sanitation. Globally, about 80% of the wastewater flows directly to freshwater bodies, and the figures are higher in the South Asian region. Decent sanitation, clean water and good hygiene are important for healthy life. About half of world’s total poor population (48%) lives in South Asia. Child under nutrition in South Asia is higher than Africa. Sanitation and hygiene have a bearing on health, education, nutrition, gender equality and poverty eradication. The coverage of basic sanitation services in South Asia leaves more than half of population without even basic sanitation (Joint Monitoring Programme regional snapshot, 2017, based on data until 2015). The aim of South Asia becoming open defecation free (ODF) is still far from completion. SACOSAN process plays a crucial role in creating political will towards better sanitation in South Asia. So far, six conferences have been held. Pakistan hosted the second SACOSAN in 2006, and now it is our privilege to welcome the delegates in 7th SACOSAN being held from 11-13 April in Islamabad for the second time. The event will also help prepare countries from the region for High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development that will be held in July 2018. The SDG6 review will be taken first time during HLP 2018, and SACOSAN serve as a key forum to help countries to showcase their work and reaffirm the commitments. During 7th SACOSAN, head of country delegations will present country papers to highlight their achievements and plans for achieving agenda 2030 on sanitation. There are eight technical sessions planned to communicate latest research and knowledge and each technical session led by one of the member countries. Moreover, various international and national organisation are holding side events to showcase solutions and challenges in their respective areas of expertise. One dedicated plenary session will bring voices of the marginalized community leaders with a focus on the equitable and inclusive sanitation progress. The head of the delegation form each country includes: • Dr. Ahmad Jan Naeem, Deputy Minister Policy & Planning, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. • H.E Mr. Tarik Ahsan, High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Pakistan • Mr. Kinlay Dorjee, Mayor, Kingdom of Bhutan. • Mr. Sumir Kumar Economic Adviser, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Republic of India. • Mr. Abdul Matheen Mohamed, Minister, Republic of Maldives. • Ms. Bina Magar, Minister, Republic of Nepal. • Mr. Mushahidullah Khan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan • Mr. Abdul Rauff Hibathul Hakeem, Minister, Government of Sri Lanka. NOTES FOR THE EDITOR: • For further information contact Ms. Zile Huma PRO • Read more about the event at http://sacosan.com • See the SACOSAN Programme Agenda: https://sacosan.com/tentative-conference-program/ • Social Media Links ? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacosanofficial ? Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacosanofficial ? Conference Twitter Hashtag: #SACASAN7 • Key Data on Sanitation : https://washdata.org/data • About SACOSAN The SACOSAN is an important intergovernmental WASH advocacy and action forum in South Asia held every second year. The regional conference began in 2003 at the ministerial level to advance the regional progress towards the Millennium Development Goal related to sanitation. The overall objective of SACOSANs has been to develop a South Asian regional agenda on sanitation and come together every alternative year to track the progress. The SACOSANs contribute to sanitation and hygiene promotion in South Asia and serve as a hub to promote regional cooperation. SACOSAN process plays a key role in creating political will towards better sanitation in South Asia. So far, six conferences have been held. Their declarations briefly focused on the following. • SACOSAN-I (Dhaka 2003) focused on encouraging adequate sanitation as a people-centred, community-led, gender-sensitive, and demand-driven approach. • SACOSAN-II (Islamabad 2006) acknowledged sanitation as one of the basic human needs and promised to achieve equity through effective targeting and participatory approaches. • SACOSAN-III (New Delhi 2008) specified specific steps that needed to be implemented at household, local, sub-national and national levels to speed up the accomplishment of regional sanitation agenda. It urged member countries to allocate 1-2% of their annual budgets on sanitation. • SACOSAN-IV (Colombo 2011) vowed to speed up the improvement of sanitation and hygiene in South Asia. The participating ministers agreed “to establish specific public sector budget allocations for sanitation and hygiene programs.” • SACOSAN-V (Kathmandu 2013) promised to create Open Defecation Free (ODF) South Asia by 2023. It also promised to gradually move towards sustainable environmental sanitation. • SACOSAN-VI (Dhaka 2016) committed to increase sanitation and hygiene coverage and focus on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6.2. *****
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