Cecilia's story: health, water and sanitation are intrinsically related
By Cecilia Birungi, District Health Inspector, Kabarole district, Uganda. First published on the Toilet Talks website Lack of water and...
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Selected contributors
Mary James Gill, Center for Law & Justice
Politician, lawyer, and human rights activist. She is the recipient of Human Rights Prize of the French Republic 2021 and Sweden’s prestigious Anna Lindh Prize 2020 for her tireless work for sanitation workers and other marginalized groups in Pakistan. She is a member of Advisory Committee on Global Advocacy for Health, Safety, and Dignity of Workers in Sanitation.
Societies are fundamentally unjust and access to power and resources - and services – remains divided by race, class, gender, nationality, and geography, both within and between countries. Because access to power, privilege is stacked in favour of wealthier, more powerful actors, special measures are needed to safeguard the rights of groups who are marginalised from access, and from meaningful participation and decision making.
Water, sanitation, and other public services are essential tools to combat poverty and inequality and therefore core to social justice. The theme will unpack the links between water, sanitation, climate, health, gender and economic justice, and how to build connected movements for change.
Day 1
DAY 1: TUESDAY 2 MAY
Together Stronger – all systems are connected
We open with our symposium’s purpose. Experts, changemakers and decision-makers assemble to explore how connecting across boundaries and promoting systems leadership can help us achieve social justice and improved national systems.
C4.1 Hearing the unheard: human rights to water and sanitation
Time: 11:30
Location: King Willem Alexander, World Forum
There is an urgent need to elevate the voices of marginalised groups whose voices are not heard in local decisions or global events. The session addresses three questions:
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How does a lack of safe, adequate, affordable, acceptable, available water and sanitation affect your community?
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What actions have you taken to address this and what responses have your received from government?
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What support and action do you want to see from the UN and the international community?
Organisers, contributors and presenters
Alana Potter, End Water Poverty
Timothy Kpeh, United Youth For Peace Education Transparency And Development In Liberia
Bethlehem Mengistu, Agenda for Change
Virginia Roaf, Water WISER
Nathalie Seguin, Freshwater Action Network (FANMex)
Kelebogile Khunou, Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI)
Gabriel Gustavo Belloni Rocha, Economic, Social And Cultural Rights Project (ProDESC) / Proyecto De Derechos Económicos, Sociales Y Culturales
Leanne Levers, White Ribbon Alliance
C4.2 Where and how does gender justice strengthen WASH systems?
Time: 15:30
Location: South America, World Forum
Come learn about CARE's experience on gender equality and increasing women’s voice from the community level to government. We will describe methods, tools, impacts and challenges, and reflect as a group on opportunities to further advance gender equality for strong WASH systems.
Organisers, contributors and presenters
Helen Pankhurst, CARE
Sara Hoffman, CARE
Dorothy Akinyi, CARE
Harisoa Rasamoelina, CARE
Avo Ratoarijaona, CARE
Aisha Hamis, Media for Community Empowerment
Leanne Levers, White Ribbon Alliance
Day 2
DAY 2: WEDNESDAY 3 MAY
Strengthening all systems – building resilience with water, sanitation and hygiene
Our systems journey continues as we explore and promote the role of resilient national water and sanitation systems, and the change agenda required to deliver them. Explore how water and sanitation can galvanise the development of wider public services.
C4.3 Claiming the rights to housing, water, sanitation, and a safe environment
Time: 13:45
Location: South America, World Forum
International law treaties recognise water, sanitation, housing and environmental rights. But rights don’t magically lead to change. It’s communities, who are most affected by the lack of these rights, who drive social change. We’ll explore the diverse range of local, contextually-sensitive strategies and tactics employed by communities to realise their rights to deepen our collective understanding of the contribution of rights claiming to global water and sanitation struggles.
Organisers, contributors and presenters
Michael Clark, End Water Poverty
Aisha Hamis, Media for Community Empowerment
Amaka Nweke, Network of Water Rights Initiative
Gabriel Gustavo Belloni Rocha, Economic, Social And Cultural Rights Project (ProDESC) / Proyecto De Derechos Económicos, Sociales Y Culturales
Temple Oraeki, Network Of Water Rights Initiative
Siya Mahlangu, Inner City Federation
Nathalie Seguin, Redes Del Agua / FANMex
Khumbulani Maphosa, Matabeleland Institute For Human Rights
Thobeka Gumede, Centre For Environmental Rights
DAY 3: THURSDAY 4 MAY
Taking action as systems leaders
Day 3
We'll synthesise insights from the first two days, agree on actions and put you in the driving seat. With help from our Wisdom Council, you’ll take part in Action Assemblies and a final plenary to help define a post-event agenda while –hopefully – committing to your role in it.
C4.4 Claiming the right to decent work and to make a living
Time: 8:30
Location: Yangtze 2, World Forum
Come learn about the informal economy, the lifeblood of marginalised communities. The session will explore the rights-claiming actions of informal and precarious workers including sanitation workers, waste reclaimers and informal traders, and the actions needed to ensure their dignity and enabling regulation.
Organisers, contributors and presenters
Alana Potter, End Water Poverty
Kelebogile Khunou, Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI)
Khumbulani Maphosa, Matabeleland Institute For Human Rights
Kelebogile Khunou, Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI)
Mary James Gill, Center for Law & Justice
Khumbulani Maphosa, Matabeleland Institute For Human Rights
C4.5 Action Assembly: social justice
Time: 11:00
Location: King Willem Alexander, World Forum
It’s time to raise our voices! Participants, not speakers or dignitaries, will be in the driving seat, for these informal town hall-style ‘Assemblies’ dedicated to moving the Water Action Agenda forward. A small number of foundational questions will generate insights, action agendas and systems leadership demands for each.
Organisers, contributors and presenters
All Systems Connect participants
Explore the rest of our programme
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