|
Background
The objective of the Sanitation and Hygiene Week is to raise the profile of sanitation and encourage the municipalities and the communities to prioritise sanitation, health and hygiene.
The South African Government is committed to eradicate the sanitation backlog. The sanitation backlog is an international problem affecting all countries. One of the reasons for the existing backlog is that sanitation has not been regarded as a priority, thus the need to raise the profile of sanitation in order to change the mindsets of the municipalities and communities through advocacy programmes and campaigns.
Sanitation and Hygiene Week was introduced at the Global WASH Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, from 29 November to 3 December 2004. It was during this forum that different government leaders took a declaration which is now called the Dakar Declaration. During this Forum South Africa was represented by the then Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Ms B Sonjica, who also agreed to the declaration.
South Africa was the first country in Africa to hold a sanitation week in March 2006, and it has been recorded as an annual awareness campaign. All stakeholders from local, provincial and national level recognise this week and develop activities and awareness campaigns that will educate communities about Health and Hygiene issues. Sanitation Week also encourages local municipalities to prioritise water and sanitation services through accelerating the provision of services to the poor.
Sanitation and Hygiene Week is a process of communicating with political leaders, municipal officials, NGO’s and CBO’s and other stakeholders about the importance of providing poor people with basic sanitation facilities and also to recognize the work done in providing people with sanitation facilities.
The objectives of Sanitation and Hygiene Week are to
- increase awareness on the importance of sanitation.
- promote sanitation best practice
- promote innovative approaches on how the sector can accelerate the implementation of the programme.
Themes
National:
Sanitation for health and dignity
International:
Putting Women at the center of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
|
