IIHS-TNUSSP was proud to participate in the 2024 Water & Health Conference, hosted by The Water Institute at the University of North Carolina (UNC), USA. Held in Chapel Hill from 14-18 October 2024, the conference gathered experts and practitioners from across the globe to discuss advancements and challenges in water, sanitation, and health.

Niladri Chakraborti, Senior Lead – Practice, and Abhilaasha Nagarajan, Consultant – Practice, from the IIHS-TNUSSP team participated in the conference and were part of four side events, showcasing TNUSSP’s work in inclusive sanitation. Here’s a look at the key discussions from each event:

1. Cracking the Code: Bridging Sanitation Gaps in Informal Urban Settlements

IIHS presented innovative approaches to scale sanitation services for the urban poor, featuring three case studies from India. Efforts to improve accessibility through strengthening services at community and public toilets (CT/PTs), implementing app-based periodic desludging for CT/PTs, and WaSH assessments and strategy development in low-income settlements were discussed. A panel discussion followed, emphasising multi-stakeholder engagement as a key factor in strengthening urban sanitation systems.

2. Beyond Awareness: Catalysing Demand for Sanitation Services through the Institutionalisation of Behavior Change and Communication

In a World Café style session, insights from TNUSSP’s “Kakkaman” campaign, a Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) campaign for Fecal Sludge Management (FSM), were shared. Participants explored various aspects of campaign design, implementation processes and challenges, and impact measurement, discussing practical methods to institutionalise BCC and sustain effective campaigns over time.

3. Unlocking Empowerment: Insights from Sanitation Worker Groups for the Localisation Agenda

This session brought together ideas to empower sanitation workers in research, implementation, and advocacy. The group discussions facilitated by IIHS focused on incorporating worker perspectives into sanitation projects, emphasising their role as co-researchers rather than subjects. Actionable approaches for engaging sanitation workers in institutions and advocacy, and the need for donor-supported initiatives to improve workers’ lives, were highlighted.

4. From Hazard to Harmony: Rethinking Sanitation Policy for Water Protection and Worker Safety

The final session focused on mitigating risks associated with non-standard sanitation systems that affect environmental pollution and the occupational health of sanitation workers. Session partners PASA, the World Bank, and WHO shared their localised and participatory guidelines, and highlighted the lack of data on the sanitation workforce and the gaps between policy and implementation, drawing examples from India, Zambia, Tanzania, and Bangladesh.