Bridging borders: Sanitation for global peace

As SIWI World Water Week 2024 kicks off in Stockholm this week, we are reminded of the profound importance of water and sanitation cooperation in fostering peace and security across the globe. This year's theme, ‘Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future,’ reminds us of the intricate interconnections between and across communities and nations and emphasises the need for collaborative efforts to secure a better future for all.

With climate change intensifying, traditional sanitation infrastructure is increasingly becoming vulnerable to damage, disruption, and contamination due to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting precipitation patterns. Sanitation systems that not only endure these challenges but also contribute to climate mitigation efforts are critical for a climate-resilient future.

How is sanitation closely linked to dignity and peace?

Inadequate facilities for sanitation and hygiene can:

• fuel conflict by intensifying competition for resources and triggering public health crises, as we have seen this in India, where water contamination from poor sanitation has led to community tensions and over access to clean water.

• cause disease outbreaks, worsening living conditions and heightening tensions among displaced populations as witnessed in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh and in conflicts in Gaza where the destruction of water and sanitation systems allows once eradicated diseases such as Polio to resurface.

• undermine people’s dignity and contribute to gender-based violence, as seen throughout the world where women and sexual and gender minorities face risks of violence when accessing unsafe sanitation facilities.

What are the benefits of sanitation for peacebuilding?

Climate-resilient sanitation facilities and systems stabilise communities by:

• ensuring that sanitation infrastructure can withstand climate impacts reduces the strain on water resources, thereby minimising competition and potential conflicts over clean water access, especially in regions prone to droughts or flooding.

• enabling good public health by preventing disease outbreaks and reducing the burden on healthcare systems.

• empowering systemically marginalised groups, particularly women and children, by supporting their safety, dignity, well-being, and participation in community life – even during catastrophic events.

How can we accelerate CRS’ contributions to peacebuilding?

1. We must build a robust evidence-base that solidifies the case for CRS as a cornerstone of global peacebuilding and sustainability. Beyond the construction of flood-resistant toilets, for example, it is important to consider other elements of infrastructure interventions. There are plenty lessons to be had, such as the value of community involvement, the need for adaptable designs to be complemented by systems approaches, and having a core focus on equitable outcomes for all, particularly the most marginalised.

2. We must support national governments with tools, evidence, and expertise to embed CRS in government strategies, plans and budgets.

3. We must elevate sanitation in climate discussions through the active dissemination of evidence and real-world experiences behind its role in stabilising communities and reducing conflict to attracting sector financing.

Adapted from iDE’s Nasser Tuqan and Elise Mann’s article, ‘Bridging borders: The role of climate-resilient sanitation in global peace and sustainability,’ written on behalf of the Climate Resilient Sanitation Coalition (CRSC).