According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2019, water crises has been identified as one of the top 10 global risks. As world leaders gather in Davos this week, our Chair highlights the link between water scarcity and urbanisation. By Lord Paul Boateng, Chairman, Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) We […]
By Yaver Abidi, Managing Director, WSUP Advisory Last week I was in Manila, at an annual meeting organised by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Citywide Inclusive Sanitation. Citywide Inclusive Sanitation is the notion that current approaches to sanitation are too small in scale and too focused on infrastructure to genuinely […]
Around one and a half million Zambians living in cities lack easy access to safe, clean water. In the capital city Lusaka, the situation is so bad that some people have to drink from pools of water at the bottom of crevices in the rocky ground. These crevices, known as shallow wells, are often contaminated […]
“Water is important and should have a certain value. Here at the alpine restaurant Ruodisegg we charge 4 Francs per litre. This amount goes 100% to WASSER FÜR WASSER.” -Toni Schuler, Alp Ruodisegg, Switzerland, one of 450 WfW partners. In 2013, WSUP started working with two Swiss brothers, Morris and Lior Etter, who shared a […]
Complex problems require multi-faceted responses. In Ga West, Ghana, we are creating a public-private response to sanitation. The challenge is significant: like other urban centres in Ghana, around 80% of the population lacks access to a clean, safe toilet. This has serious consequences for people’s dignity, health and ability to work or attend school. But […]
Ahead of World Toilet Day, our CEO looks into the impact of poor wastewater treatment and highlights ways in which cities can improve sanitation management. By Neil Jeffery, Chief Executive When people in the most developed cities flush the toilet, they have the luxury of not having to wonder where the wastewater goes to next. […]
The requirements of women and girls are too often ignored in the planning and design of toilets, leaving them unable to use the toilet where and when needed. Women have different sanitation requirements, for instance during menstruation, pregnancy and after menopause, that should be considered when designing and building public toilets. Of particular importance is […]
In some of the poorest urban communities of Nairobi, residents currently spend one-fifth of their income procuring humanity’s most basic need: water. As the city’s low-income communities grow in size, and as inequality becomes more pronounced, so it becomes more important to tackle this most vital issue in a comprehensive fashion. Policymakers, NGOs, the private […]
Next week, WSUP will be discussing inclusive citywide sanitation, designing practice-relevant WASH research, and how to support the development of sanitation businesses at the Water & Health Conference: Where Science Meets Policy, at the University of North Carolina. The Water & Health Conference will take place from 29 October – 2 November, exploring global issues […]
The practice of handwashing with soap is a vital habit; it prevents diseases and saves lives. In the cities where WSUP works, it is not uncommon to have just one functioning toilet for every 300 children. And cramped urban schools can be a focal point of disease. Handwashing with soap is therefore a key way […]