The 30th SuSanA meeting - the first virtual of its kind - took place from August 17th to August 28th 2020. It was organised by the SuSana Secretariat with support and contributions from SuSanA Partners, Members, Working Groups and Regional Chapters.

The SuSanA Meeting usually takes place back-to-back to the Stockholm WWWeek, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Nevertheless, SuSanA offered a virtual platform for meetings and exchange. The 2-week program of #SuSanA30 can be seen here, and a more detailed overview of the sessions here.

Day 1 - Monday, 17th of August

1. Opening Plenary (2.00-3.30 pm)

The Opening Plenary took place as the opening and start of the 30th SuSanA Meeting with the session outline:

1. Introduction by Cecilia Rodrigues (SuSanA Secretariat) with Mentimeter (see results)
2. Keynote Speech by Ylva Schwinn (SIDA)
3. Keynote Speech by Hind Khatib-Othman (WSSCC)
4. "Updates from SuSanA and the path to SuSanA 2.0" by Franziska Volk (SuSanA Secretariat) and Leonie Kappauf (SuSanA CMTF)
   
5. "Initiating De-colonisation of WASH Sector Knowledge" by Euphresia Luseka
6. "Sustainable sanitation and gaps in global climate policy and financing" by Chibesa Pensulo (GCF)

Join the follow-up discussion on Euphresias thematic input here or keep updated on the Work of the CMTF on the path to SuSanA 2.0 in our SuSanA Discussion Forum!

Day 2 - Tuesday, 18th of August

1. Hand Hygiene Session (2.30-2.00 pm)

The Hand Hygiene Session had two parts: During the first part, insights from different partners based on their ongoing hand hygiene work through presentation were shared. During the secong part, thematic discussion on specific theme were held.

Session Outline:

1. Global framework for response - the Hand Hygiene for All Initiative by Joanna Esteves Mills (HH4A)
2. Snapshot of government action: UN-Water GLAAS findings  by Fiona Gore and Sofia Murad (WHO)
3. Programmatic hygiene response to COVID19: Lessons from 12 countries by Om Prasad-Gautam (WaterAid)
4. COVID-19 Hygiene Hub by Lauren d’Mello-Guyett (Hygiene Hub)
5. Global Handwashing Partnership & Handwashing Handbook by Ron Clemmer (GHP)
6. WinS Network guidance on institutionalizing hygiene behaviours in schools by Bella Monse (GIZ)
7. Thematic Discussion

Find the Presentation of the session, the summary of the presentations and thematic discussion as well as the Questions & Answers here.

2. Género y WASH (Spanish) (4.00-5.00 pm)

This session from the Latin American Chapter puts its focus on the importance of recognizing the link between WASH and Gender:
Sanitation needs specifically for women are recognized by SDG 6 in its target 6.2. It is difficult to achieve goals such as those set out in the water-related SDGs, unless a gender perspective is integrated into planning and implementation activities. We must promote female leadershipt to ensure their equality and full participation in governance. 

Session Outline:

1. Moderation by Lourdes Valenzuela, Coordinator of the SuSanA chapter Latin America
2. Presentation by Cesarina Quintana, Coordinadora de SWA regional para Latinoamérica y el Caribe 
3. Presentation by Helena Castañeda, Especialista en servicios WASH en el Banco de desarrollo de América Latina (CAF) 

Day 3 - Wednesday, 19th of August

The invisible link: dignity, safety and health for sanitation workers (12.00-1.30 pm)

The session focused on the workforce operating the sanitation chain - those who empty septic tanks and latrines or maintain sewers. Sanitation workers are critical to achieve safely managed sanitation, but oftentimes face terrible working conditions and stigma. Global practical experiences to protect workers dignity, health and safety were discussed.

Session Outline:

1. Health, Safety and Dignity of Sanitation workers - An initial assessment (2019) by Ndeye Awa Diagne 
2. Health, Safety and Social Security Challenges of Sanitation workers in India, during COVID-19 pandemic by Kanika Singh 
3. FSM Operators Skills Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa by Shobana Srinivasan 

Find here the Session Notes taken by the SuSanA member Ella Foggit.

New developments & research findings in urban sanitation & FSM (2.00-3.30 pm)

This session aimed to cover some new developments on urban sanitation for the development and humanitarian sectors. It covered aspects of CWIS and FSM.

Session Outline:

1. Introduction by Christoph Lüthi 
2. Shared Sanitation by Vasco Schelbert 
3. Dewatering, QnQ and Volaser by Barbara J. Ward 
4. Planning for CWIS  by Abishek S. Narayan 
5. Fecal Sludge Field Lab by Christopher Friedrich 

Find here the Session Notes taken by the SuSanA member Ella Foggit.

Capacity development (4.00-5.30 pm)

This session covered updates and new developments of the SuSanA Working Group 1 - Capacity Building, including a personal update on what WG 1 members have been doing, a small networking break as well as the presentation of the draft of the new WG 1 fact sheet. 

Session Outline:

1. Introduction by Dorothee Spuhler
2. What WG 1 Members have been doing - contribution by different WG 1 members
3. Fact Sheet Update and Progress by Laura Kohler
4. How to visualize Capacity Development and Fact Sheet Content by Finn Staack
5. What is next: From Fact Sheet to Practice by Laura Kohler

Find the presentation of the session here.

Day 4 - Thursday, 20th of August

Sewage Testing for COVID 19 (11.00-12.30 pm)

This session focused on the presentation of the approach of using sanitation waste as a potential epidemiological indicator for COVID-19. Whereas the first part of the session focused on an African-based approach, the second part had as strong focus on India.  

Session outline:

1. Presentation on Developing a COVID wastewater surveillance protocol: Lessons from South Africa by Sudhir Pillay 
2. Presentation on Potential of sewage for predicting the COVID pandemic in India by Nitya Jacob 

The sanitation event calender - how to access and use it (training session) (1.00-1.30 pm)

This training session provided the participants with an overview on how to access the sanitation event calendar, how to add and how to edit existing events.

Session Outline:

1. Presentation on How to use the Sanitation Event Calendar by Finn Staack

WinS Network (WASH in Schools) (2.00-3.00 pm)

In this session, the WinS Network was presented, and the just launched JMP Report on the global status on WASH in Schools introduces. 

Session Outline:

1. Introduction of the WinS Global Network and initiatives to support the education sector for safe reopening of schools by Bella Monse
2. JMP Report on the global status on WASH in Schools by Christie Chatterley

Check the Forum for updates on the progress of the WinS Website

Reopening of Public Restrooms during COVID-19 (4.00-4.30 pm)

This session focused on the question why public restrooms should be reopened - in times of Corona. The following topics were adressed:

1. Why Open Restrooms?
2. Potential Transmission Routes
3. Preventing Transmission: Guidelines for Reopening
4. Guidelines in Action 

Day 5 - Friday, 21st of August

Sanitation from a One Health perspective (1.00-2.15 pm)

This exploratory session introduced SuSanA’s new discussion brief on WASH and health, and involved discussion on opportunities for application of a One Health* to address sanitation challenges, including what kind of approaches can be applied when it comes to working with animals. (* A One Health approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, and often involves transdisciplinary collaboration.)

Session outline:

1. Introduction to session aims and SuSanA’s brief on WASH and health by Jona Toetzke 
2. How to think about animals and animal managers using participating epidemiology by Klara Fischer 
3. Importance of animal feces in WASH interventions by Om Prasad 
4. Discussion on opportunities for application of a One Health approach by Sarah Dickin 

Open discussion: What did COVID-19 teach us? (3.00-4.00 pm)

In this session of the 30th SuSanA Meeting, participants were invited to discuss the effects and consequences of the pandemics in their life and work. It was an opportunity to reflect and discuss on some ideas. Everyone was welcome to speak and share ideas. 

The following questions were discussed in this session:

• How has the pandemics changed your way of work? Do we want to keep these changes? 
• Can the pandemics help us in making a leap forward in decolonizing the sector? 
• What are the challenges in your daily work and what could help to overcome them? 
• Was the knowledge that you felt needed available? Where could you find (relevant) information? 
• How did you access information. Were there other channels that we could explore? 
  and more...

Find the presentation of the open discussion here.

Day 6 - Tuesday, 25th of August

The Discussion Forum - latest developments, insights from moderators and user survey results (1.30 - 2.30 pm)

The SuSanA Discussion Forum is an open platform on which the more than 12,500 members of SuSanA exchange knowledge and ideas, form networks, and debate on sanitation related topics. By this, the SuSanA Community contributes actively to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and makes knowledge, ideas, and debates around sustainable sanitation accessible to everyone within the network and beyond. 

During this session, the Forum Moderators informed about the recent development of the SuSanA Discussion Forum, reflected on the current forum moderation and presented the results from the Discussion Forum User Survey. 

The session was presented by Elisabeth von Münch, Chaiwe Mushauko and Paresh Chhajed-Picha.

Day 7 - Wednesday, 26th of August

Launch of the SuSanA Africa Chapter (12.00-1.00 pm)

During this session, the SuSanA Africa Regional Chapter was launched, complementing the already existing Rgional Chapter Latinoamerica, WANA (West Asia, North Africa) and India.

It was hosted by the SuSanA Secretariat, moderated by Daniel Ddiba with contributions from

1. Elizabeth Wamera (WSSCC)
2. Sareen Malik (ANEW)
3. Keitumetse Tsubane (Africa Regional Chapter Co-Coordinator)
4. Obinna Anah (AMCOW)
   

Find the presentation of Keitumetse and Sareen here.

Eye on Latin American Countries (4.00-5.00 pm)

The session presented sustainable sanitation solutions that are supported by conceptual and operational issues with lessons learned from the evolution of the water and sanitation sector.  

Session Outline:

1. Introduction by Guido Meruvia (Cooperación internacional para el desarrollo ASDI)
2. First presentation by Luis Alfonso Alvestegui (Especialista Senior en agua y saneamiento del Banco Mundial, Bolivia)
3. Second presentation by Martha Lucia Mojica Hernandez (Universidad Distrital, Colombia)
4. Third presentation by Danilo Padilla (Empresa privada, Honduras)

Day 8 - Thursday, 27th of August

Towards inclusive, green city sanitation for Lusaka- achievements and way forward (12.30-1.30 pm)

The recently concluded BMZ-funded GIZ Climate Friendly Sanitation Services in peri-urban areas of Lusaka (CFS-Lusaka) project and the GloBe Sector Program Sustainable Sanitation (SV NaSa) invite you to the virtual launch of a joint publication titled “Towards inclusive, green city sanitation for Lusaka- achievements and way forward”. 

The session was presented by

• Trevor Surridge
• Mike Enskat
• Amanda Mallaghan
• Doreen Mbalo
• Mintje Büürma
• Christian Rieck
• Jonathan Kampata ( Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation)
• Edgar Mulwanda (Lusaka City Council)
• Chola Mbilima (National Water Supply and Sanitation Council)

Find the presentation of the session here.

WG2 - Exploring blended financing models for accelerating Sanitation progress towards 2030 (2.30-4.00 pm)

This session was focusing on exploring the opportunities that exist with alternative financing mechanisms for the WASH sector and particularly focusing on sanitation. The focus lied on the following topics:

1. Overview of new types of development finance such as impact investing
2. What are people’s experiences of these to date?
3. What role can our organisations play?
4. What are some of the advantages and risks of these approaches?
5. How can organisations and actors collaborate? 

The session was hosted by the SuSanA WG 2 with contributions from Dan Levigne, Sacha Gayama, Ada Oko-Williams, Josien Sluijs and John Sauer.

Day 9 - Friday, 28th of August

Menstrual Hygiene Management- Relevant, Inter-sectoral and on the Rise (11.00-12.00 pm)

In this session progress and success stories of MHH globally and within the German Development Cooperation were presented and opportunities for sustaining and scaling the momentum discussed. 

Session Outline:

1. Introduction by Alice Brandt (GIZ)
2. Keynote Speech by Inga Winkler (Columbia University)
3. WASH United’s highlights from Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020 and the Menstruation Bracelet campaign by Thorsten Kiefer (WASH United)
4. MHM Partners Alliance’s policy advocacy around MHH in Nepal by Guna Raj Shreshta (MHM Partners Alliance Nepal)
5. Fit for School Philippine’s scaling integrated MHM into WASH in Schools programming by Chiqui de Veyra (GIZ Fit for School Philippines)
6. Sanitation for Million’s MHH in Balochistan, Pakistan by Rabia Baloch (GIZ Sanitation for Millions Pakistan)
7. Welthungerhilfe’s Ekopo Loo for enhancing MH for schoolgirls in Karamoja, Uganda by Anika Malkus (Welthungerhilfe Uganda)
8. WASH United’s MHM education guide for scaling education about menstruation by Ina Jurga (WASH United)

Further Moderators: Tabea Seiz, Jan Schlenk and Louisa van den Bosch.

Click here to get to the written summary and the presentations of the session!

More Information about the 30th SuSanA Meeting can be found in the Forum and on the SuSanA Website.