SFD Phase- III South AsiaLaunch Event

Date: February 12, 2020
Venue: Royal Park Residence & Hotel, Dhaka, Bangladesh 

Phase 3 of Shit Flow Diagram (SFD) promotion initiative was launched by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in collaboration with WaterAid Bangladeshon 12^th February 2020, in Dhaka, Bangladesh for South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The purpose of this initiative isto promote the use of SFDs to bridge the existing gap in availability of data for monitoring safely managed sanitation (SDG 6.2) and for improved planning to achieve citywide sanitation. The workshop was attended by 50 participants from diverse background and regions including municipal officials and sanitation practitioners from India, Nepal and Bangladesh. 

Md Khairul Islam, Regional Director-South Asia, WaterAid; Ms Hasin Jahan, Country Director, WaterAid Bangladesh and Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla, Senior Director, CSE India welcomed the participants and emphasised on the need to map the flow of excreta and visually represent the same in an easily understandable graphic, especially in South Asian countries. They shared, that while low- and middle-income countries are rapidly expanding globally, excreta management is seen as a present and future growing concern, eventually impacting public health and the environment. Exploring SFDs now as a decision-making tool will not only help manage large volumes of excreta in cities but will also accelerate Bangladesh and neighbouring country’s targets to SDG 6. 

Radu Ban, Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Dr Arne Raj Panesar, Head of Sector Program Sustainable Sanitation at GIZremotely attended the launch event.Radu Ban explained how the SFD approach came into being, its potential and expectations from the 3^rd phase of initiative. Dr Arne Raj Panesar presented what is SFD and its possible applications being tried out at different parts of the world. 

Abdullah Al Muyeed, Head Advocacy and Policy, WAB presented about the journey of SFDs in Bangladesh and shared how they play a vital influencing role in scaling up the Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) initiative in the country. Bhitush Luthra, CSE India added by explaining how they have been preparing SFDs for different cities in India, and how the SFDs have been used as advocacy, decision making and as a monitoring tool for excreta management. Furthermore, CSE India elaborated the activities and approach followed in SFD Phase – 3 initiative. 

The workshop ended with an experience sharing and Q&A session, moderated by DrSuresh Kumar Rohilla, Senior Director, CSE India where he also emphasized the fact that though WaterAid will be key partner, CSE is looking for more partners for expanding the SFD approach in South Asia followed by closing remarks by Abdullah Al Muyeed, Head Advocacy and Policy, WAB. Participants also had the opportunity to get clicked with pre and post SFD of Sakhipur city, which clearly depicted the progress the city has made in three years.