Hi all
For you who want to follow the UN process with development of SDG and in particular water & sanitation
there is an ongoing process and right now an expert meeting discussion the Watergoalwill take place in South Corea.
For more info
www.unosd.org/index.php?page=view&type=1...enu=240&template=814
All the best
Madeleine

Dear all
There is a now a propoals on the new SDGs from the UN High level on Post 2015 SDG. Find the report attached. The Swedish minister for Development Aid is part of the panel and at SEI we have been in dialouge with her on the development of the report
Please find suggested goals and national targets
Kind regards
Madeleine

Thanks all for your inputs! I asked because I had a discussion with a few people based on a class, and I wanted to be sure I was using the right definitions. There are so many developments, you could always have missed an update.

I agree, Dr. Roshan..! Moving forward,

Mariska.

Hi All,

So far my understanding we can not change sanitation defination in MDG, we should now start for lobbying to have better defination on sanitation for Sustainable Development Goals which will start after MDG !

Dear Mariska,

As far as my knowledge goes, I don't think whether there has been any updated or revised definition. It is possible that the definition may vary from one organization to another, but JMP definition is, I think, still the same, as it was.

Regards,

F H Mughal

Hi Mariska,

I just know the definitions used by JMP, they are on the website: www.wssinfo.org/definitions-methods/watsan-categories/

As you underline "latest defintion", it sounds that there is an updated definition, but I am not aware of such.

Regards, Florian

Dear Mariska,
As far as I know, there has been no change in this definition since 2008 (or I don't know exactly since which year but at least since many years, after the composting toilet was added at some point to the list of improved options).

See here:
www.wssinfo.org/

Why do you ask (did I miss something)?

Regards,
Elisabeth

Dear all,

I'm looking for a document stating the latest definition on improved sanitation under the MDGs. Can any one of you help me out there? Thanks in advance..!

Mariska.

I guess everyone in the sector in one way or another is aware of gross overestimation of the JMP figures. It is however not only due to false or outdated reporting (for what ever reason) by the governments, but also due to differences in definitions of what constitutes an "improved" water source or sanitation solution.
The JMP definitions are intentionally (but also in my opinion too) broad, to cover as much of the diversity found in the world as possible.

According to the JMP estimates, 4.3 billion people have access to improved sanitation.
Recent research conducted by the University of North Carolina estimates that 2.8 billion people has access to improved sanitation.

On water side, JMP estimate is that 783 million people use unimproved sources in 2010. The researchers at the University of North Carolina says that 1.8 billion people used unsafe water in 2010.

There is significant difference in the figures. I tend to agree with the figures of NC University. In rural Sindh (Pakistan), only 10 per cent of the people have access to sanitation, while the government figures are as high as 90 per cent. JMP gets their figures from the government.

In addition, there is one MAJOR aspect: even that 10 per cent population who have access to sanitation in Sindh, are exposed to the fact that the sewage is poorly treated. According to me, poor sewage treatment = no treatment. If this contention is taken into account, it will further increase the estimates of NC University.

Surprisingly, there is no WHO-UNICEF response to the UN University estimates.

F H Mughal