With our partners UNFPA and Women Deliver, Global Poverty Project called for equal gender access to quality sanitation
WHAT'S THE COMMITMENT?
At the Global Citizen Festival 2013, Hungarian Ambassador to the United Nations, Csaba Korösi, spoke in support of women's equality and signed the Keep Your Promises petition calling for access to equal sanitation worldwide. The petition called on world leaders at the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit in September 2013 to:
1. Step up efforts towards reaching the MDG target on sanitation.
2. Ensure that water and sanitation are given more attention after 2015 than they were in the MDGs.
3. Work towards achieving safe sanitation and drinking water for all.
2.5 billion people continue to lack access to basic sanitation, which significantly increases the likelihood of catching diarrhea and other potentially life threatening illnesses, like polio. Women and girls without adequate sanitation are more likely to drop out of school especially as they face the difficulty of managing their monthly period without adequate gender segregated toilets - where toilets are available at all.
WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE?
Since the Festival, Ambassador Korösi has been working to support equal access to sanitation as part of his UN role. His ongoing support is helping to ensure that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will replace the MDGs in 2015 will include clear goals around sanitation.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
Ending open defecation remains a priority for Csaba Korösi who is in close contact with our campaigns team. Global Poverty Project with the help the Global Citizen movement, aims to help shape the SDGs for all. However, at the time of writing, Mr Korösi and global citizens must keep up the momentum.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Global Poverty Project will continue to work with Ambassador Korösi on promoting women’s equality and ending open defecation for the purpose of equal access to sanitation worldwide.
As global negotiations on the nature of the SDGs approach conclusion, we’re continuing to build momentum around the need for women and girls to be central to the new agenda. As we head towards the Global Citizen Festival, we’re working with our partners at Caterpillar Foundation to see the inclusion of a goal to bring about the end of open defecation. Ending of open defecation will affect the lives of 2.5 billion people in around 25 countries, through significantly improved health, reduced cases of stunted development in children while improving the future of women and girls in particular. That’s why we’re also campaigning to see equality for women and girls and young people brought about by the new SDGs.