What is WASH United?
WASH United uses the positive power of football and the role
model status of football stars to promote safe drinking water,
sanitation and hygiene for all.
WASH United is a Club – everyone (football stars, political
decision makers, organizations, ordinary people) is encouraged
to join and become a Champion for WASH!
Goals
- Promote handwashing with soap
at critical times;
- Tackle taboos related to sanitation
and create demand for sanitation services;
- Advocate for the full recognition and implementation of
the human right to water and sanitation.
Advocacy activities and materials for
South and North
- Poster campaigns in Germany and in 8 African
countries;
- Public Service Announcements;
- Country Briefing Papers on RTWS;
- Direct engagement with political decisionmakers at national and international level.
Poster campaigns
Using football to directly engage with
political decision makers
World Toilet Cup
Results WASH United campaign:
- In less than 4 months, WASH United has directly
reached more than 70,000 people with events and
activities across Africa
- More than 27,000 people (mostly children) have
joined the WASH United Club and committed to
practising good WASH behaviour
- Ca. 13.5 million people have been reached through
poster and media campaigns
Results re RTWS advocacy:
- Political support for RTWS in Germany: ruling
parties and the Green Party have submitted appeals
to Parliament re RTWS; government appeal
explicitly referring to WASH United.
- More than 50 political decision makers have agreed
to become Champions for WASH United, including
more than 20 Ministers, Kofi Annan, Desmond Tutu,
etc. Follow up now.
Challenges
Moving beyond recognition:
• Nationally: engage with governments to facilitate
national legal and policy reform
Challenge: capacity
• InternationallyMainstreaming the RTWS into the UN
human rights system:
Support amending of reporting guidIdentify focal
points at Treaty Bodies