ABOVE: Kiribati. Crowded housing, lack of clean water and poor sanitation present serious health threats, especially for children. Photo: Lorrie Graham

Sanitation 2008

The United Nations General Assembly has named 2008 the International Year of Sanitation to draw attention to the plight of millions of people who do not have access to basic sanitation.

The aim is to make progress against Millennium Development Goal number seven and by 2015 to reduce by half the 2.6 billion people who do not have basic sanitation.

In Australia's region - the Asia Pacific - there are great stretches of land, mainly in rural areas, where there is not much infrastructure. Bitumen roads are scarce, houses are relatively impermanent structures of reed and bamboo, and people live without electricity. There is no piped water. Clean water must be carried from rivers or wells, and sanitation is basic.

'We in the West take it for granted that when we turn on a tap clean water gushes out and when we go to the toilet all we have to do is flush. Practically every home is plumbed into the mains water system,' says Marcus Howard, AusAID's Water Adviser. 'But this is far from the case in the developing world.'

Water and sanitation may not be popular topics but they have a catalytic effect on virtually all aspects of human development - agriculture, health, gender equality, energy, education and economic growth. For example, it's estimated that productivity is increased and health costs reduced by $8 for every $1 invested in improving water and sanitation - in short, achieving the target for the Millennium Development Goal number seven. Another example - more children are willing to go to school, especially girls, if they can rely on toilet facilities which are safe, private and meet their needs.

The estimated recurrent investment of US$8 billion per year for the Asia Pacific to achieve the water and sanitation Millennium Development Goal is affordable. What's needed is the effort to guarantee these investments.

The Australian Government, in line with other international organisations, including the development banks and United Nations agencies, intends to increase aid for water and sanitation to $100 million in 2009-10 and $200 million in 2010-11.

Sanitation needs special attention - it's seriously lagging behind Millennium Development Goal targets. Australia recognises the imperative to work more effectively with partner governments.

'We're improving sanitation in our region. For example, a new rural water supply and sanitation program has just commenced in East Timor and we are contributing significantly to the Asian Development Bank's new Water Financing Partnership Facility,' says Howard. 'But it's obvious we need to do more. And we will.'

Australia will join with partners to raise human dignity, hygiene standards and health, and improve the lives of millions, as part of the global effort on water and sanitation.