2008 was declared by UN as International Year of Sanitation (IYS). It was observed by the local group that participation of target extreme poor group is fundamentally important to make the sanitation campaign a success.
In line with the above, MDGs and GO campaign to achieve hundred percent sanitation by 2010 WSSCC-B undertook a project to facilitate participation of grassroots in Sanitation campaign of Bangladesh.
In view of the above WSSCC-B chapter developed a project proposal and submitted to WSSCC global office for necessary support. Main target activities in this project were as follows:
Grassroots Consultation No 300 three times in 100 unions,
Four district level workshops and two division level workshop,
National Convention of grassroots and support launching ceremony of International Year of Sanitation (IYS), besides project proposed to work to ensure some visibility of the campaign through producing a Sanitation fact sheet and producing T-shirt and Caps having emblem of the campaign.
In this process WSSCC-B as member of National Sanitation Task Force of GoB, platform did facilitate to accept Grassroots Participation as one of the main theme by GoB in celebrating International Year of Sanitation (IYS). National Sanitation Task Force did accept the above as one of the official theme in celebrating IYS in Bangladesh.
Through this consultations following observations were captured: Most of the villagers or slum dwellers are not aware of government subsidy for the poor in relation to Sanitation. Union Parishad Sanitation Task Force is not active and Sanitation campaign is only limited to October sanitation month. Through this consultation it was strongly suggested that visible participation of grassroots community is required to ensure strong and sustainable campaign to achieve hundred percent sanitation by 2010.

 Publications:  Sanitation Fact Sheet (Download)

Grassroots National Declaration came up with the followings:

The Grassroots National Convention reiterates its commitment towards strengthening the process through effective participation of the grassroots people at village, ward and union levels.

The National Convention strongly draws the attention of the government regarding the issue of sanitation allocation for the hardcore poor and its proper use, and urges the government to ensure the effective participation of the extreme poor in the processes that decides the distribution of such allocations.

The National Convention further asserts that the sanitation services for the women among disadvantaged group have been heavily inadequate and hence, this issue must be taken into special consideration.

The National Convention urges that instead of eviction, the slum dwellers’ issues must be resolved through rehabilitation; ensuring sanitation services for the slum dwellers will not require installing latrines at the slums only, but will also require collective actions to ensure their proper usage by the dwellers

In order to ensure that the marginalized people do access to the sanitation services, the National Convention demands that both the government and non-government financial allocations for sanitation must be increased

As the flood and other disasters each year destroys sanitation facilities in Bangladesh, the National Convention demands to ensuring technologies that would explore possibilities to provide sustainable sanitation services

The National Convention feels it necessary to introduce a reward to encourage grassroots marginalized people’s participation in processes

In order to promote sector accountability and transparency, the National Convention calls upon the Union Parishads to share in public, the steps through which they ensure sanitation services are reaching to the hardcore poor

The National Convention demands that the sanitation campaign must not be limited only in the month of October, rather it should be considered as a continuous process.

Main activities that grassroots intended to carry forward are as follows:

Divisional Grassroots Consultations were not possible to organize in Khulna and Sylhet. In near future such consultations shall be organized.

Observations that have been captured by grassroots consultation need to be discussed with decision makers in the immediate future.

Public campaign shall continue to ensure visible participation of extreme poor and section of the population.

To strengthen campaign to increase allocation targeting sanitation service for the poor and extreme poor.

To undertake necessary action to disseminate declaration content of Pre-SACOSAN and SACOSAN meetings.

To undertake necessary organizational steps to convene a meeting of grassroots leaders to form a grassroots national coordinating group.

Finally national convention was closed with a cultural show participated by prominent artists of Bangladesh.

WSSCC-B activities were well circulated through print (in different news papers across divisions and national dailies) and electronic media and a special 20 minutes TV program was screened by popular private TV channel Channel-Eye. National Bengali Daily “Vorer Kagoz” and Channel Eye was the media partner for National Convention that took place on November 9, 2008.

WSSCC-B was also successful in raising further fund for the campaign from Water Aid, Plan International, IDSL and DanChurchAid (DCA). Actual, committed fund available to date is as follows WSSCC BDT 850,000(except operational costs) DCA BDT 250,000, Water Aid BDT 10,00,000, IDSL BDT 125,000). Plan International intended to support above campaign, inside their projects and committed amount was BDT 10, 00,000. Generally other supporting agencies made their expenditures from their own and decided to support different items of such campaign.

In this relation it was not required to spent fund for launching ceremony of International Year of Sanitation and National Convention Meeting that was organized in Dhaka.
In view of the above through WSSCC fund it was possible to cover cost of 501consultations in 167 Union Councils in different parts of Bangladesh and three Divisional workshops. Project budget was revised.

Apart from the above a sanitation fact sheet would be published with support from WSSCC project. .

 

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