CONCEPT NOTE ON THE SEMINAR ON WATER & SANITATION RIGHTS FOR DALITS IN BANGLADESH

Background

Safer water is fundamental to the survival of human beings and proper sanitation is must for a natural life of every human being. Report shows that water coverage (broad definition) is 81% and Sanitation coverage (broad definition) is 56% (2010)[1] in Bangladesh. This percentage of access to Water and Sanitation is a very high level for a low-income country like Bangladesh. But, a deeper look into the lives of the citizens unveils that this high percentage does not cover the Dalits in the country and even this citizen right is influenced by social status, caste and occupation resulting unjustness and inequality which lead the Dalits in their 'colonies' with unimaginable distress with water shortage. Estimation by the 'local government department' under the ministry of cooperative shows that 22 million households use 10 million tube well as main source of water they need. Among those, 9 million tube wells are privately own. 'Poor communities' are using rest of the remaining 1 million tube-wells. Dalits are included among this 13 million poor people. 60 percent households among them have no access to sewerage system.

The Government has determined the 'Basic Minimum level of service' for water and sanitation for the hard-core poor in the 'Pro-poor strategy for water and sanitation sector in Bangladesh' developed in 2005 describes that for the purpose of drinking, cooking and personal hygiene, the basic minimum level of service is defined as 20 litres per capita per day and in case of sanitation the 'Basic Minimum Service Level' for Sanitation is defined as one 'hygienic latrine' for each household. However, if it is not possible to have one 'hygienic latrine ‘for each household due to lack of space or other reasons, then such households can either use "others' latrines", subject to a maximum of two households (or 10 persons) for one latrine or "community latrines", subject to a maximum of 10 persons per latrine. In comparison to the above shown minimum standard, Dalits are living far beyond even than the hard core poor. Even the most fortunate Dalit cannot even dream of getting 20 liters of water a day. This distress affects the women and children most harshly. National development activities have not yet prioritized the issue of water and sanitation for the Dalits. So, it is demand of the time to address the Dalit issues regarding water and sanitation with due importance and incorporate them in the government and non-government development initiatives.

Nagorik Uddyog, since its establishment in 1995 has worked to strengthen local government in Bangladesh via the dual imperatives of, on the one hand, raising awareness among the general masses of people’s basic human rights and, on the other, building people’s capacity to pursue and realize these rights to uphold the rights of marginalized Dalit population in Bangladesh. NU aims to promote cultural diversity and improve the quality of life of the most excluded and marginalized communities of Bangladesh, including Dalits and indigenous peoples. And to achieve the aim, NU supports the Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Human Rights Movement (BDERM) to uphold the human rights of Dalits in Bangladesh. As a part of the continues efforts, NU as one of the Partner in Action (PIA) implementing a Regional project titled Civil Society Joint Action Programme to Promote Dalit Human Rights in South Asia for the period of January 2013 to December 2015. Under this project, a thematic seminar on water and sanitation rights for Dalits is planned to organize with specific objectives and expected outcomes.    

Objectives

The seminar is planned to organize with the following specific objectives:

• To present the situation of water and sanitation of Dalits in Bangladesh in front of civil society
• To identify the challenges of Dalit community to access the equal and non-discriminatory access to water and sanitation
• To strengthen collaboration among the stakeholders and identify the follow up strategies and actions to facilitate the Dalit communities with the access to water and sanitation.

Expected Outcomes

Following are the expected outcomes from the thematic seminar:

• The suffering of Dalits regarding water and sanitation is presented before the civil society as case studies by the community representatives.
• The Dalit CSOs, DHRDs and Interns proactively involved in the organizing process
• A large numbers of participation of CSO representatives, DHRDs, Interns, Dalit leaders, Government official, representatives of international and national organizations working on water and sanitation, Human Rights Activists and Media personnel will attend the seminar.
• Networking established among the Dalit COSs, DHRDs and international and national organizations working on water and sanitation and Government Official established.
• Knowledge level of CSOs and DHRDs on government mechanism, available opportunity for the community and information on the appropriate knocking authority in local level enhanced and thus lead them to engage in establishing rights of community in local level and gradually that will lead to national level.
• A plan of follow up strategies and actions identified
• A report the seminar prepared and disseminated among stakeholders.

Participants

A total of 150 participants are expected to participate in the seminar which includes:

• Dalit Representatives
• Dalit Leaders
• Dalit CSOs representatives
• DHRDs and Interns of the EIDHR project
• Government Officials
• Representatives of CSOs and organizations working on Water and Sanitation issues
• Media Personnel
• Nagorik Uddyog Staff

Key Speakers of the Seminar

In the seminar community representatives, government officials, development activists and experts on the water sanitation sector will present the views and directions. Following are the Key speakers expected to deliver their speech in the seminar:

• Engr. Taqsem A Khan, Managing Director & Member, Dhaka WASA Board
• Dr. Md Khairul Islam, Country Representative, WaterAid Bangladesh
• Dr. Debalok Singha, Executive Director, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK)
• Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive, Nagorik Uddyog
• Moni Rani Das, President, Dalit Women Forum
• Sunil Kumar Mridha, President, BDERM

Afsana Binte Amin, National Project Coordinator will present the key note paper in the seminar and community representatives around the country will present their sufferings regarding water and sanitation in their own voices which they are experiencing unnoticed and unaddressed.

Follow Up Strategies

Following would be the follow up strategies after conducting the seminar:

• Document the commitments of the Government Officials and Non-government organizations and follow them up
• Follow up the case studies shared in the seminar
• Organize joint actions with CSOs and organizations working on Water and Sanitation issues
• CSOs and DHRDs will follow up the implementation status of Government and Non-government development initiatives for Dalits.
• Attaining the MDG targets on Water and Sanitation in Bangladesh the Dalits issues needs to improve and this key message needs to be highlighted to government officials.
• Bring the water and sanitation situation of Dalits in Media
• Participate in different national platform addressing water and sanitation issues and insert dalit issues in their agenda.

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[1] World Health Organization; UNICEF. "Joint Monitoring Program" Retrieved 2010-10-20. 

Data are based on National Institute of Population Research and Training (Bangladesh); Mitra and Associates (Dhaka); ORC Macro. MEASURE/DHS+ (Programme) (May 2005).Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2004. Dhaka