Date: 26 September 2020
Time: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm (IST)
Webinar on Women Leadership for Equitable and Sustainable Water & Sanitation on Saturday 26 September 2020 at 4:30 pm
Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) and Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS)
Gender equality and women’s leadership should be an integral part of any conversation on water, sanitation, and environment protection. The underrepresentation of women in the social, economic, and political decision making has led to them bearing much of the burden of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities as cities and policies are designed largely by men and for men. Many programs designed with an intention to benefit women and girls tend to focus on them only as beneficiaries and do not view them as agents of change who can empower themselves and others. Despite challenges women have demonstrated leadership and empowered themselves and others.
ASCI has catalogued stories of some of these women champions from Water and Sanitation sector and developed a document (Volume 1) that chronicles the lives, aspirations, achievements of 30 women from different walks of life and contributing to domains ranging from advocacy, bureaucracy, politics and service provision. The webinar is organized to celebrate these women leaders and discuss ways of bringing transformative change in water and sanitation sectors by expanding choice, strengthening voice, changing institutional structures, making resources available to women and girls.
The catalogue on “Women Leaders in Water and Environmental Sanitation (Vol.1)” will be launched during the webinar. The panelists in the webinar comprise women city leaders, policy makers, and other WASH change champions who have demonstrated commitment and taken a systems approach towards gender equity and women empowerment at scale.
E-Exhibition on Innovations in Public Toilets (PT) Design and Operations on Saturday 27 June 2020 at 3:00 pm
Date: Saturday 27 June 2020
Time: 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm (3 Hours)
Availability of gender segregated, clean and hygienic toilets in all public places is a basic right. All Urban local bodies (ULBs) are expected to provide Public Toilet (PT) facilities for the floating population/general public in places such as markets, train/bus stations and other public areas.
Every ULB is required to provide adequate PTs as per the prescribed standards for number of seats/water closets (WCs), bathing and urinal units. PTs should be child friendly, gender inclusive (separate entrance for men and women, separate seat for transgender, lighting, privacy, safety, sanitary pad disposal and disposal facilities, baby care facility etc.) and have facilities for differently-abled (ramp, railings, braille signage, etc.). In addition to this, PTs should meet the requirements of wastewater management and maintain the facilities as per well-defined SOPs to ensure regular usage. Further, public toilets have the potential to be used as social spaces, venues for spreading social messages and so on. Therefore, careful planning, designing, construction, operation and maintenance of PTs and related infrastructure is the need of the hour.
This e-exhibition showcases models of innovative, aesthetically designed, inclusive, practical, cost effective and easy to maintain/operate models. This event will be useful for state and city officials involved in decision making, procurement and implementation of PTs. The e-exhibition is hosted by Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) under its INK@WASH program and supported by the Centre of Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS).