Put an end to open air defecation, the task the Pan African Intergovernmental Agency Water and Sanitation for Africa (WSA) has undertaken in hundreds of communities in Mauritania. As such, WSA has unwounded since 2013 the "Implementation of the household sanitation component through the CLTS approach in 100 localities of the Hodh Chargui region" Project.
In the Marahoué region in Côte d’Ivoire the lack of household sanitation has been the underlying factor of a number of sanitary issues. This situation has contributed to high risks of mortality and morbidity rates. To help significantly reduce these risks, WSA has initiated a project to promote household sanitation in several villages of this region.
Access to family sanitation remains very low in Africa. It is even more so in particularly vulnerable households thus inflating the not-so-exemplary statistics on human health and development. With the view to improve people living conditions WSA has been deploying efforts in countries. In Côte d'Ivoire for example, WSA is engaged in the promotion and popularization of integrated and sustainable sanitation for the benefit of disadvantaged households.
Amongst the environmental problems facing most African cities, the non-control of wastewater and excreta stands high. For instance Abidjan capital of Côte d'Ivoire where neighbourhoods sanitary conditions reflect the urgent need to develop effective management mechanisms. Given its valuable experience in this field, WSA has pledged to support the town of Abengourou through a capacity building in the wastewater and excreta management.
World Toilet Day (WTD) is celebrated every year on November 19th. Initiated by the UN since 2001, this day is much more focused on advocacy than celebration and on drawing attention on the urgent need to provide every individual with appropriate toilets. Unfortunately, this November 19th seems to be a carbon copy of the previous ones; just as in past years, this WTD comes as the sanitation sector still faces huge challenges.
