WSSCC at Uganda Hand Washing Campaign Trigger Workshop - 28 February 2007

On the 28th of February, Carolien van der Voorden participated in the first sessions of a three day trigger workshop for the Uganda National Hand Washing Campaign, which is being developed under the auspices of the National Sanitation Working Group by a group of stakeholders including the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Ministry of Health, UWASNET, and the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP-Af). Similar Hand Washing Campaigns are being developed in Kenya and Tanzania, with the three country programmes keeping in close touch to learn from and support each other.

Women Leaders for WASH Symposium in Uganda - 27 February 2007

On 27 February 2007 Uganda hosted the first national level spin-off meeting of the Women Leaders for WASH, a global initiative launched by the WSSCC with three co-convenors, the honourable Minister of Water and Environment Ms. Maria Mutagamba of Uganda, former Minister of International Development Ms. Hilde Johnson of Norway, and the Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Ann Veneman.

The Uganda Women Leaders for WASH Symposium brought together a variety of women and men, including some twenty female Members of Parliament, leaders of grassroots women's groups, NGO's and CBO's. With keynote addresses by Uganda's first lady Mrs. Janet Muteveni, the first lady of the UK Mrs. Cherrie Blair, and the Ministers of Water and Environment and of Health, the meeting received high level endorsement. Carolien van der Voorden represented WSSCC with a keynote speech in the opening session on the historical background and international perspective of the WASH campaign and the Women Leaders for WASH initiative.

The meeting resulted in draft action plans by Members of Parliament, local government representatives and NGO's to further strengthen the position of women in water, sanitation and hygiene for improved access by all.

Click here to read one of the case studies presented at the Symposium, on the experience of Girl's Education Movement (GEM) clubs in promoting water, sanitation and hygiene in schools.