The Global WASH Campaign was launched in 2001 as a response to the failure of world leaders to recognize sanitation as a target at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, where the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were adopted. The campaign’s primary aim was to mobilize support for bringing sanitation and hygiene to the global agenda. At the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002, sanitation was added to the Millennium Development Goals, a significant step towards this goal.
Since then, the campaign has grown into a worldwide movement with the support of many governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and partners. Individual and local WASH campaigns are now active in more than 30 countries. WSSCC encourages other organizations to take up the WASH concept through periodic global and national level WASH campaigns and events.
The Global WASH Campaign periodically refreshes the WASH brand and messages by concentrating for a few years on particular themes such as “The Big Issue” (2001) or “Hurry Up!” (2003 & 2007). Not only designed to raise awareness of water, sanitation, and hygiene issues generally, the ‘WASH message’ also seeks to change policy by targeting policy-makers in particular.
At a national level, this entails supporting and influencing governments to adopt demand-driven and pro-poor policies for sanitation and water supply, to create budget lines, and establish designated ministries for sanitation.
To capitalize on the momentum generated by the Global WASH Campaign, WSSCC will continue to advocate for improved sanitation, as well as improved hygiene and water supply. The advocacy materials intended to support WASH advocacy at global and country levels can be found here.
