SANITATION; a means to enhance quality of life:
The South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN), a government led biennial convention usually take place on rotational basis in each country, provides platform for dialogue and influence created by the governments of South Asian Countries to revisit the progress made by them in the area of Sanitation. The SACOSAN process help generate political well to overcome the gaps in Sanitation access and appropriate usage of sanitation facilities.
The event aiming at reaching a Regional Agenda on Sanitation, enabling the learning from experiences and setting forth action for the future. The main objectives of such conferences are to accelerate the progress in sanitation and hygiene promotion services in South Asian countries resulting in improved quality of life of the peoples.
SACOSAN Conference Objectives
- To review progress made in implementation of the Delhi Declaration of the 3rd South Asian Conference on Sanitation (held in 2008 in India).
- To reiterate political commitment in each country of the region for furthering the sanitation agenda.
- To facilitate development of country-specific as well as regional frameworks for sanitation.
- To share experiences and lessons learnt in sanitation and hygiene promotion.
- To increase outreach of sanitation agenda in the region.
This year too, representatives of CSOs and CBOs of south Asia member countries gathered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to reflect on sanitation scenario of the South Asia state parties particularly Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan from the point of view to re visit the past-SACOSAN declarations to asses and identify key sanitation issues and suggest actions and formulate strategies for achieving the desired progress in the area of sanitation.
Mr. Syed Shah Nasir Khisro, the Executive Director and Mr. Altafur Rahman, Manager PMER represented IRSP in the 4th SACOSAN EVENT held at colombo, SRILANKA from 28th March to 8th April,2011.
These events provided opportunities to the partner countries to develop a common understanding and raise broad based awareness on the issue of sanitation. This changed thinking is obviously the result of the previous three sessions (first session held on 21st to 23rd October, 2003 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, second session from 20th to 21st September,2006 in Islamabad, Pakistan and Third from 16th to 21st November,2008 in New Delhi, India)  and the recommendations laid down by the forum gives a new look to the issues and its solutions. During this period of time, the member countries made tremendous efforts to contribute a lot towards the achievement of MDG’s specific to sanitation and sustainable development in general.