Articles

Breaking Menstrual Taboos Through Theatre: A Journey of Empowerment in Kathmandu

2025-05-23T07:09:12+00:00

In March 2025, amidst the vibrant atmosphere of the Nepal International Theatre Festival (NITFest), a unique workshop titled "Breaking Menstrual Stigma" unfolded at Mandala Theatre in Kathmandu. Facilitated by myself, Theresa Hübscher, alongside Malin Freytag and Saraswoti Chaudhary, the workshop employed Theatre of the Oppressed techniques to explore the myths, taboos, and realities of menstrual health in Nepal.

Meena’s Three Wishes: From Animation to Rural Sanitation Transformation

2025-05-23T07:09:12+00:00

In 90’s, in the heart of rural Bangladesh, the idea of having a single family toilet at home was nearly unthinkable for many families. A personal latrine just for one household? A deep tubewell for a community? These were seen as luxuries - something you might dream about, but not expect.

Africa’s cholera resurgence exposes funding failures

2025-04-08T04:05:57+00:00

Climate change and conflict are fuelling a resurgence of cholera in Africa, with progress toward elimination undermined by chronic underfunding, according to new analysis. In 2024, more than 175,000 cases of cholera and 2,700 deaths were reported in Southern and Eastern African countries, making it the deadliest cholera outbreak in that region in the past decade, according to a UN brief released this week (17 February).

Back to Care: A Circular Economy Approach to Water Quality Management

2025-03-05T11:37:49+00:00

Disclaimer: Find the Spanish version of the Article here.

The talk “Opening to ‘Modeling’ and its role in water quality management” addresses a crucial topic to face today's environmental challenges. However, to fully understand its importance and limitations, it is necessary to place it within a broader context: that of the circular economy.

Resisting Through Practice: Dry Toilets as a Pathway to Sustainability

2025-02-21T13:38:00+00:00

Disclaimer: To read the article in Spanish click here.

The history of our struggles is intertwined with the management of our resources and the care of our land. In the face of the climate crisis, social inequalities and dependence on extractivist systems, it is time to look to our roots and adopt technologies that harmonize with nature. The implementation of dry toilets is not only a technical solution, but an act of cultural resistance and affirmation of sovereignty.

Documentary Review: "Holy Shit - Can Poop Save the World?"

2025-02-10T11:46:24+00:00

“What a Shit Movie!” - When I say this most people would probably assume I didn’t like it, since the term “shit” is commonly understood to have a negative implication. This captures the essence of Holy Shit, which challenges us to reshape our understanding and our relationship to our own feces.

The Pioneering Writings of Al-Razi and Ibn Sina on Hygiene

2025-01-06T09:05:49+00:00

The history of the advancements in sanitation and hygiene is often viewed through a Western lens, yet some of the most significant contributions came from the Middle East during the Islamic Golden Age. Two famous figures of this era, Al-Razi and Ibn Sina, made groundbreaking strides in the understanding and promotion of hygiene. Their works not only influenced their contemporaries but also laid foundational principles that influenced even our modern perception of health and hygiene.

Managing corruption risks in my sanitation programme? Not my problem…or is it?

2024-12-02T12:37:29+00:00

Integrity issues can undermine the work we do in sanitation and make our job harder, leaving behind rampant pollution and millions without dignified sanitation. Yet there’s a lot that we can do to prevent corruption and malpractice. People in the sector are in a good position to do something about it.

Advancing Climate Finance for Climate-resilient Sanitation

2024-11-13T07:25:08+00:00

Krishnanagar Union in Satkhira district, Bangladesh, has always been surrounded by water, but water is no longer a friendly neighbor. Satkhira district, located in the southwest of the country, is close to the Bay of Bengal and hosts part of the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world.

Beyond the Infrastructure: Creating an Equitable and Inclusive Sanitation Future for all Gender Identities

2024-10-21T06:09:57+00:00

Gender equality is a sustainable development goal, a fundamental human right, and often a pillar of international development. Why then, do we see inconsistency in what it means to design and implement programmes that have gendered elements?

Bridging Borders: The Role of Climate-Resilient Sanitation in Global Peace and Sustainability

2024-09-02T07:03:56+00:00

As SIWI World Water Week 2024 kicks off in Stockholm this week, we are reminded of the profound importance of water and sanitation cooperation in fostering peace and security across the globe. This year's theme, "Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future," reminds us of the intricate interconnections between and across communities and nations and emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts to secure a better future for all. Ensuring that sanitation systems are robust and adaptable to climate challenges is not only essential for safeguarding public health but for promoting regional stability and sustainable development. The Climate Resilient Sanitation Coalition (CRSC) of more than 30 leading organizations that work at this intersection recognizes the significance of climate-resilient sanitation (CRS) in building a peaceful, secure, and sustainable future.

Breaking the Myths: Common Misconceptions About Safely Managed Sanitation

2024-07-22T10:31:04+00:00

We're nearly 10 years into the SDGs, and unfortunately, we have to call the sector out. Many people still don't understand what safely managed sanitation is. This lack of clarity is hampering authorities to take action to prevent millions of people being exposed to harmful pathogens. We need to resolve this fast because every day, almost 4,000 people are dying from diseases attributable to poor water, sanitation and hygiene, nearly 1,000 of them children under five.

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

2024-07-02T06:02:11+00:00

El Taller de Diálogos SIRWASH en políticas públicas para la asequibilidad de los servicios rurales de agua y saneamiento en el contexto de los países Latinoamericanos y del Caribe estuvo organizado gracias a la colaboración entre la Agencia Suiza para el Desarrollo y la Cooperación (COSUDE) Y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) en alianza con la Fundación Nacional de Salud Brasil (FUNASA).

English Version below.

Nature Calls – why sanitation is the logical starting point for fighting climate change

2024-06-04T07:53:53+00:00

In September 2021, Hurricane Ida dropped more than six inches of rain on New York City in a matter of hours. Roughly half of that rainfall, 3.15 inches, fell within the first hour—nearly twice the rate the city’s infrastructure was designed to handle.

At 11am that day, I got a call from my daughter’s school in the outskirts of the NYC metropolitan area asking me to collect my daughter ASAP. The school basement was filling with water … fast. By the end of the day, the school was shuttered, and the surrounding community evacuated. Meanwhile, outside my front door in suburban New York, neighbours were piling the contents of their basements onto the sidewalk. ‘The neighbourhood’s shit is in my basement!’ one exclaimed. Social media was filled with discordant images of flooded streets and Teslas floating through them.

Can Kiritimati become a model circular economy society? Water and sanitation as potential entry points

2024-05-03T06:39:35+00:00

Kiritimati Island is a unique place. Situated within the Line Islands group of the Republic of Kiribati, an island country spanning almost 3.5 million km2 of ocean, it isn’t easy to find on a map. The closest international airport (other than its own) is in Honolulu – more than 2,000 km away. The capital of its own country is even farther away. Despite being the largest coral atoll in the world, as of 2020 only 7,369 people live there.

Let’s get wild: Water, sanitation and hygiene at the human-wildlife interface

2024-03-26T10:38:24+00:00

One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, non-human animals and ecosystems. It recognizes that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter-dependent.

Empowering Young Women Water Professionals in South Asia: Leading the Wave of Change

2024-03-20T11:35:30+00:00

In September 2023, fueled by a shared vision to create a meaningful global impact, five visionary women embarked on a journey that led to the establishment of the "South Asia Young Women in Water" (SAYWiW) platform. This initiative was born out of a casual meeting, which evolved into a powerful force for change in the realm of water management in South Asia. SAYWiW stands as a beacon of empowerment for women water professionals, acknowledging their often-overlooked contributions to driving tangible change in the region. Despite encountering obstacles, these trailblazers persistently pioneer research and innovation, surpassing global counterparts and shaping the future of water management.

Unlocking the potential of African Women in STEM through mentorship

2024-03-12T08:03:27+00:00

Civil engineers and infrastructure professionals can make a huge difference – 72% of the SDG targets are linked to networked infrastructure development. This means the profession can play a leading role in economic growth, environmental protection, social progress, and climate resilience. Diversity in the dynamic world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) can realise this impact better.

Mentorship empowers African women to lead environmental stewardship

2024-03-08T13:39:28+00:00

The pivotal role of women in climate action often remains unrecognized yet women play a vital role in tackling climate change.

I was born in Kenya’s Uasin Gishu County and home of Mau Forest complex which is one of the water towers of Kenya and raised in Kakamega County - home of the only tropical rain forest in Kenya and UNESCO heritage that has seen destruction affecting water supply in counties around it. Over the years I learnt to appreciate that while climate change affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. Vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by inequity and marginalization linked to gender, ethnicity, low income, and other social and economic factors. When solutions to climate change address these realities, they are more effective.

Achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation for all is no mean feat

2024-03-05T06:31:33+00:00

Suryabarti (Surya) Majhi is a Project Engineer in Odisha Water Supply & Sewerage Board. She joined the department as a young assistant executive engineer in 2016 before which she worked in various government agencies. She calls herself an “engineer by mistake” because she wanted to study English- literature before she decided to study engineering. As a project engineer, Surya held the key to ensuring effective implementation of the state's Faecal sludge management. This has earned her a spot on the sanitation hall of change on the NFSSM alliance portal.