February 25-26, 2025 | Dhaka – UCLG ASPAC Municipalities Network Advocacy on Sanitation in South Asia (MuNASS) Programme was represented at Toilet Conference 2025 in Dhaka, themed `The Future of Sanitation’, providing a global platform for industry experts, academics, policymakers, development partners, and researchers to address pressing sanitation challenges and foster innovative solutions. The Conference served as a unique opportunity for government representatives from the Global South to present their best practices, policy objectives, and developmental strategies in sanitation to a diverse global audience. It underscored the importance of integrating sanitation into broader developmental goals, thus empowering these nations to play a pivotal role in advancing progress.
The Mayor of Siddarthanagar Municipality from Nepal, Mr. Khan delivered his speech and shared his experience on sanitation financing in a technical session, hosted by Finish Mondial. Mr. Kalanidhi Devkota of MuAN also shared MuNASS programme experience in a technical session on Climate Resilient Sanitation hosted by Practical Action Bangladesh. On different occasions, the UCLG ASPAC MuNASS Programme received appreciation from National Institute of Local Government (NILG) for developing a WASH training module in collaboration with MAB.
The conference provided MuNASS delegates a vibrant platform to learn from Government departments, Best practices from Global South, Policy progress across, and innovative technologies in progress under different research programs. The conference also highlighted existing sanitation challenges, the potential ways to promote innovative technologies and solutions specially climate vulnerable cities in Asia. MuAN delegates discussed with Mr. Toilet for a potential Toilet conference in Nepal and Professor Mr. Jack Sim agreed to participate which will bring opportunities to highlight the MuNASS best practices from both Nepal and Bangladesh. The conference brought the opportunity to MAB, MuAN and UCLG ASPAC to advocate with key individuals and technical experts on Shit Flow Diagram (SFD) to acknowledge as part of SDG 6.2 data management.
MuAN delegates discussed with Mr. Toilet (Mr. Jack Sim, the founder of World Toilet Organisation) a potential Toilet Conference in Nepal in which he agreed to participate. This will bring opportunities to highlight the MuNASS best practices, particularly from Nepal and Bangladesh.
