Join the Call to Action for WASH in Schools in Europe

Published on: 06/04/2011

A coalition of WASH in Schools advocates from various organisations based in Europe is organising a two-day meeting in The Hague from 24 to 25 May 2011 to help development partners' work on strategies to follow up the international Call to Action for WASH in Schools from 2010 (www.unicef.org/wash/schools).

30 + international organisations joined this call on decision makers to increase investments and on concerned stakeholders to plan and act in cooperation, so that all children go to a school with child-friendly water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

These agencies renewed their commitments to the sector which has been stagnating over the years (as reflected by a recent survey conducted among 60 developing countries showing the status of WASH in Schools):

Less than half of the countries have information on WASH in Schools coverage.
Less than half of all primary schools have access to safe water and just over a third have adequate sanitation in countries where data are available. Even where facilities exist, they are often in poor condition and hygiene education is often non-existent.

The May meeting brings together EU-based WASH in Schools supporters from governments, donors and NGOs and aims to:

Strengthen the WASH in Schools Partnership in Europe and get European based organisations to engage with the global WASH in Schools movement.
Advocate WASH in schools to become an integral part of health, education, and WASH sector plans/investments/activities.

From 7 April an online debate on WASH in Schools will start for one month (ending on May 6^th). To contribute to this debate please sign up at: http://www.createdebate.com/debate/show/We_have_failed_on_WASH_in_Schools. Outcomes of the online will feed into the May meeting.

During the second day of the May meeting, a smaller group of workshop participants will discuss specific topics emerging from the online debate and brainstorm in smaller groups on research gaps. One-page ideas for proposals will be developed. This will hopefully lead to agreements and actions on the way forward.