皇家华人

A cross-disciplinary team at 皇家华人 has linked the need for safe sanitation to all 17 SDGs, demonstrating the far-reaching benefits of investing in sanitation infrastructure that go beyond better health.

The UN General Assembly鈥檚 agenda for 2030 builds听on the principle of 鈥渓eaving no one behind鈥澨齛nd lays out听17听interconnected听Sustainable Development Goals听(SDGs), along听with targets to achieve them. The Goals include听SDG6:听to听ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.听听

鈥淢ore than听half the world鈥檚 population lacks access to听safely managed sanitation,听and in 2017听approximately听two听billion听people听were still听living without even the most听basic sanitation,鈥澨齟xplains听Dr听Priti Parikh, Director of听the听UCL Centre for Engineering for International Development.听鈥淭his听increases听morbidity rates, healthcare costs and听reduces听productivity.鈥澨�

To ensure everything possible is done to address this lack of basic human rights,听Dr听Parikh听is drawing attention to the importance of听sanitation infrastructure and management听across听all the听other听SDGs.听

She is working with colleagues across听five UCL faculties,听from disciplines听including听engineering, urban design and planning, health, social science,听economics,听policy and law. The team has听conducted听an evidence-based review听of the academic literature to identify听links听鈥撎齛ctions, synergies and trade-offs听鈥撎齜etween sanitation and each of the SDG targets.听听

The听review听has identified synergies between sanitation and two thirds听(130)听of the 169 Targets and trade-offs for a third听of them, across听all听17 SDGs,听demonstrating听the far-reaching benefits that can be unlocked from investment in sanitation, which extend beyond health.听

In addition to the听clear听connections between improved sanitation and reductions in infant and maternal mortality, the research听has听highlighted links with SDG5: Gender Equality and SDG16:听Peace, Justice听and Strong Institutions. 鈥淭here is evidence for听the need for the development of female-friendly toilets, especially where women and girls are exposed to harassment,鈥澨鼶r听Parikh explains.听

She hopes the team鈥檚听approach听will听provide听vital听evidence听for policymakers and practitioners听to support听new听cross-disciplinary听interventions听to听deliver听improved听sanitation for all by 2030.听鈥淚t also offers a framework for others to use that enables the analysis of interconnected global challenges,鈥澨齭he adds.听听

The team has听applied this approach for the听water,听sanitation and hygiene听sector in Brazil,听and听Water Aid has听commissioned听them听to develop a policy brief and toolkit to influence听policymakers听in Sub-Saharan Africa.听