SuSanA News - World Water Day 2023   
 
World Water Day 2023
ACCELERATING CHANGE
Dear SuSanA members and friends,

World Water Day 2023 is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Dysfunction throughout the water cycle is undermining progress on all major global issues, from health to hunger, gender equality to jobs, education to industry, disasters to peace. Back in 2015, the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 as part of the 2030 Agenda – the promise that everyone would have safely managed water and sanitation by 2030.

Right now, we are seriously off-track. Billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centres, farms and factories are being held back because their human rights to water and sanitation have not yet been fulfilled.

This World Water Day is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unite around water and accelerate progress together, with it being the kick-off for the UN 2023 Water Conference (22-24 March) – the first event of its kind for nearly 50 years.

In preparation for the Women’s Day (08 March), World Water Day (22 March) and the upcoming UN Water Conference, we have put together some news, activities and upcoming events from the network. Enjoy exploring!

Yours sincerely,
Arne, Alexandra, Daphne, Maren, and Teresa
on behalf of the SuSanA Secretariat
SuSanA Water Women's Day
7 March 2023 (online)
We are delighted to jointly host a virtual Water Women’s Day on Tuesday, 7 March with the wonderful women’s networks. We believe as water women we are Stronger Together, and we would love to invite you and your female peers, students, friends, and colleagues to join us for an exciting program. The virtual event offers five sessions and invites students, professionals, and employers to address challenges along the different stages of a woman’s career: attraction, recruitment, retention, and advancement. This interactive event is open to women in all their diversity working on water issues from sanitation to transboundary water management. We aim to create a safe space for women to share their experiences, ask questions, and support each other. The session for employers is open to all. Peer-mentoring will be offered both in English and Spanish.
SuSanA at the UN 2023 Water Conference
22-24 March 2023, New York
Get ready to dive into the world of water and sanitation at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York - there are various side events taking place virtually and in-person, featuring SuSanA and partner organizations.

Before and during the conference, there will be a series of exciting events and activities, including a SuSanA North America Meeting and an internal meeting with members of our Global Steering Committee, virtual side events on sanitation workers and resilient and inclusive sanitation and in-person side events on cross-sectoral partnerships and accelerating progress towards SDG6. Other highlights include an exhibition on water as a human right and a networking event for women committed to SDG6. Don't miss out on this opportunity to join the conversation and learn about innovative approaches to water and sanitation that are sure to leave you inspired and empowered!
SuSanA North America Meeting
19 March 2023, Coulmbia University, New York
Mark your calendars! SuSanA is excited to announce the SuSanA North America Meeting, jointly organized by Prof. Kartik Chandran from Columbia University, one of our esteemed Global Steering Committee Members, and the SuSanA Secretariat. The meeting will be held on Sunday, March 19th, 2023 at the Columbia University, just before the UN Water Conference in New York. The preliminary agenda promises engaging presentations and discussions, including WASH for Health, wastewater monitoring, food security, and more. Don't miss out on this exciting event! Register now by following the link below.
Tools and initiatives to accelerate progress towards SDG6
21 March 2023, New York (in-person side event)
On March 21st (16:30 - 20:00 (EDT), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG) will host an in-person event at the Columbia University in New York. At the example of the urban Water Flow Diagram (UWFD), the Excreta Flow Diagram (often described as Shit Flow Diagram, SFD) promotion initiative and initiatives such as Solidarit’eau, the Blue Communities, the Water Resilient Cities Network and the Water Operator Partnerships (WOPs) we show how a joint effort by academia, politics, utilities, and civil society can trigger action in order to accelerate progress towards reaching the SDG 6 and the human rights to water and sanitation. The technical session will conclude with a voluntary contribution to the Water Agenda 2030 and a Swiss Apéro will then be served at the international house.
Achieving SDG 6 through (1) a gender lens on climate change & youth and (2) global goals for menstrual health & hygiene
23 March 2023 15:30-16:45 EDT
Join WASH United and Plan International Netherlands on March 23rd for a session at the UN Headquarters, co-organized by multiple organizations. The session will discuss the importance of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and setting global goals for MHH to achieve WASH for all. Despite the relevance of MHH to achieving multiple SDGs and the Water Agenda, it is still not explicitly mentioned under the SDGs. The session aims to catalyze progress towards a world where MHH is a top priority, and no woman or girl is held back because of her period.
#Waterisahumanright celebration and exhibition
23 March 2023, at 19:30 EDT
Join Viva con Agua for a night of art, talk and music while collaboratively rooting for global access to clean drinking! Enjoy free entrance at Spring Place, 6 St Johns Lane New York 10013 on March 23 at 7:30pm. There will be a photo exhibition and photo shoot showcasing "Water is a Human Right" and featuring music by Octopizzo and a panel discussion on "Collaboration for Water and Climate". Don't miss this opportunity to root for a crucial cause in an engaging way!
Water Action and Human Rights – Implementing the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation at the Local Level
24 March 2023, 13:00-15:00 EDT
Join on 24 March 2023 from 13:00-15:00 EDT for a side event at the Auditorium of the German House, co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN, WASH United, German WASH Network, Malteser, and many more. The event will focus on the human rights to water and sanitation, a core aspect of SDG 6, and how they can be practically implemented at the local level. Local government institutions and communities will share their experiences and lessons learned, while the event will identify ways for national governments and the international community to support their implementation.
IRC “All Systems Connect” international symposium
2-4 May 2023, World Forum The Hague, the Netherlands
Join IRC from May 2nd-4th, 2023 at the World Forum in The Hague, the Netherlands for an extraordinary and action-oriented event. This three-day forum is designed to connect changemakers from various sectors including water, sanitation, hygiene, public health, climate resilience, economic development, and social justice, to work on collective solutions and strengthen our capabilities as systems leaders. Join IRC and be part of the action that leads to change!
GWOPA 5th Global WOPs Congress
22-25 May 2023, Bonn, Germany
Join the 5th Global WOPs Congress in Bonn, Germany from 22-25 May 2023, where UN-Habitat's GWOPA will bring together water and sanitation operators to collaborate on providing reliable services in challenging times. Don't miss out on the three sessions by SuSanA on gender, sanitation workers, and wastewater monitoring. Stay tuned for more information and join the conversation!
Save the date: 33rd SuSanA Meeting
21 May 2023, Bonn, Germany (hybrid)
Save the date for Sunday, 21 May 2023, for an exciting day of learning and exchange at the 33rd SuSanA meeting! This year, we're offering a hybrid format in Bonn or online, with insightful sessions, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities. Stay tuned for more detailed information and spread the word to your colleagues and peers. We can't wait to see you there or online!
WASH4Health
Contribute to the discussion and the updated paper on WASH and Health
Join us in bringing the WASH and Health Sector closer together to achieve SDG 3 and 6! SuSanA is updating its discussion paper on WASH and Health, highlighting 1. Pandemic and disease control, 2. Strengthening health systems, 3. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Share your thoughts on the approach and its key messages via the Forum discussion or as a sounding board for the paper via info@susana.org. We are looking forward to your participation and many contributions to the updated version! Let’s speak in one voice and make a difference!
21st AfWA Congress & Exhibition/ 7th International Faecal Sludge Management Alliance Conference
19 – 23 February 2023 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
For the first time, the Faecal Sludge Management Alliance (FSMA) partnered with the African Water Association to co-host the 21st AfWA Congress & Exhibition and the 7th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, to bring together water and sanitation in this joint event, including faecal sludge management. The event was held from February 19 to 23, 2023.

The joint event featured the theme “Acting for sustainable resources management and access for all to water and sanitation in Africa” and brought together the world's leading experts, engineers, technicians, researchers, and stakeholders, to meet the concerns of our fellow citizens, in a world where water and sanitation challenges are just too many.
SuSanA Meetup in Abidjan
20 February 2023
We want to extend a big thank you to our dear SuSanA members for joining us and contributing to the recent SuSanA meeting in Abidjan. Your concerns and suggestions for the network were enlightening, and we appreciate your honesty during the "Confessions of a busy Forum user/non-user" round. Don't forget to check out the forum thread on the conference and the key takeaways. Your input and participation are invaluable to the success of our community. Thank you again for your engagement!
FSMA Short Film Festival
Hurray, we won!
Hurray, we won! We are delighted to announce that the video "The Shhh Job: Sanitation for Liveable Cities" submitted by the SuSanA Secretariat in collaboration with BORDA - Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association won the 1st Price at the Faecal Sludge Management Alliance Short Film Festival. As #Zambia works to improve access to #sanitationforall, it is important to recognise the vital work of frontline #sanitationworkers and to tackle the stigma associated with their work. This film shows how they are helping to make Lusaka a healthy and liveable city. Congratulation to all!!
Stronger Together! Informal Mentoring
On January 19, 2023, the Stronger Together event took place virtually. The event was co-convened by SuSanA, The Community of Women in Water, Women in Water & Sanitation Network, Women in Water Diplomacy Network, The Africa Water Association as well as the African Women Sanitation Professionals Network Zambia Chapter. Over a hundred participants attended with participants mainly being from sub-Saharan Africa, North America, and Europe as well as some attendees from the MENA Region and Latin America. Aim of the event was to offer a safe space for peer-mentoring and sharing of experiences between women working in the WASH sector.
Keki Adhikari visited the SuSanA secretariat
Keki Adikhari, the Goodwill Ambassador for Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH), recently visited Germany on an official mission. During her visit, she had fruitful discussions with colleagues from GIZ and the SuSanA secretariat, where she shared her personal experiences about Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in Nepal, and the role MHH plays in all of it. Keki is thrilled to continue her journey as a Goodwill Ambassador for MHH in 2023, and her dedication to this is inspiring. Stay tuned for more updates on SuSanA’s contributions and activities around MHH.
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Imprint
The secretariat of the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance is located at:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 36 + 40
53113 Bonn, Germany

info@susana.org