'Sanitation facilities worst in South Asia'

In South Asia, a billion people do not use improved sanitation facilities and 700 million practice open defecation, compromising on their dignity, as countries struggle to provide drinking water and sanitation to their citizens, Media Scrapbook has revealed.

Despite these conditions and several high-level political commitments at different forums to reverse the situation, governments in South Asia have been unable to provide these fundamental services, Media Scrapbook said.

Media Scrapbook, published by WashMedia-South Asia, a representative body of journalists from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, working on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), was launched at the National Press Club, reports the Daily Times.

It comprises of around 100 selected stories published in different print and electronic media of the member countries. So far the members have reported more than 1,000 stories on the WASH issues.

According to members of the regional group, the single and most important development challenge in South Asia is to end the sanitation and hygiene crisis and promote dignified lives, reduce preventable deaths, improve gender equality, contribute to the disposable income of the poor and safeguard the environment.

Governments in South Asia during the 4th South Asian Conference on Sanitation recognised that sanitation in South Asia was at a crisis point.

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