Second South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN 2006)

Three years after the first South Asian Conference on Sanitation which was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the second SACOSAN took place from 20-21 September 2006 in Islamabad, Pakistan. This second SACOSAN had been postponed because the terrible earthquake demanded all energy of the Government of Pakistan.

The executive director of GWA was invited by the Ministry of Environment of Pakistan to speak about “A Gender Approach to Sanitation – Empowerment of Women, Men and Children” in a Gender and Sanitation Session (read the presentation here). The other two speakers in the session (Ms Qamrun Nahar from Bangladesh and Ms Naheed Ghazanfar, Pakistan) presented interesting cases illustrating and confirming the conceptual framework, which Joke Muylwijk presented. There was still ample time for discussion, entering into more details of gender issues of sanitation. The session was generally appreciated.

At the conference, the different governments of South Asian countries (and China, Burma and Indonesia) reported the work they have done in the area of sanitation facilities in their countries since 2003. Most countries reported massive improvements. GWA encourages her members to monitor the data that Governments claim.