Sustainable Sanitation Alliance: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Network of sustainable sanitation organizations}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

[[File:Susana-logo.png|thumb|Logo of the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance]]

The '''Sustainable Sanitation Alliance''' ('''SuSanA''') is a loose network of organizations who are "working along the same lines towards achieving [[sustainable sanitation]]".<ref name="website 1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.susana.org/en/about/vision-mission|title=Vision|website=Sustainable Sanitation Alliance|accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref> It began its work in 2007, one year before the [[United Nations]] [[International Year of Sanitation]] in 2008. The intention of creating SuSanA was to have a joint label for the planned activities for 2008 and to align the various organizations for further initiatives.

SuSanA has over 360 partner organizations and over 13,000 individual members (as of March 2021).<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Partners|url=http://www.susana.org/en/partner|accessdate=22 March 2021|website=Sustainable Sanitation Alliance}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Discussion forum statistics|url=http://forum.susana.org/forum/statistics|accessdate=22 March 2021|website=Discussion Forum|publisher=Sustainable Sanitation Alliance}}</ref> SuSanA's vision document contains a definition of sustainable sanitation which was developed by SuSanA partners in 2007.<ref>SuSanA (2008). [http://www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/267 Towards more sustainable sanitation solutions - SuSanA Vision Document]. Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA)</ref> The discussion forum that is hosted by SuSanA performs like a [[Community of Practice]] (CoP).

SuSanA is not a [[non-governmental organization]] (NGO). It has no legal structure and takes no membership fees. It encourages other organizations to join the network and to become active members in the thematic working groups.

The SuSanA secretariat is funded by the [[Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development|German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development]] which has commissioned the [[Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit]] (GIZ) for this task. Other SuSanA partners make contributions for example by paid time of their staff members. Between 2012 and 2018, co-funding for the online Discussion Forum, project database, Wikipedia editing and other improvements to the SuSanA website was provided by the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]].

== Overview ==

[[File:Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) Discussion Forum logo.png|thumb|Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) Discussion Forum logo]]

[[File:Group photo at 18th SuSanA meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.jpg|thumb|SuSanA members at 18th SuSanA meeting in Stockholm, Sweden]] [[File:13th SuSanA meeting in Kigali - group photo.jpg|thumb|SuSanA members at the 13th SuSanA meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2011]]

[[File:SuSanA booth (5966367379).jpg|thumb|SuSanA booth at AfricaSan in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2011]]

[[File:Uschi Eid (5966925098).jpg|thumb|Uschi Eid (UNSGAB) at SuSanA seminar at AfricaSan in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2011]]

[[File:Roland Schertenleib at SuSanA core group and key stakeholder meeting in Eschborn, Germany (18th-20th of April 2013).jpg|thumb|Presentation by one of the founding fathers, Roland Schertenleib, at SuSanA core group and key stakeholder meeting in Eschborn, Germany, in 2013]]

[[File:Meeting of working group 1 on capacity development at 16th SuSanA meeting.jpg|thumb|Meeting of one of the SuSanA working groups at 16th SuSanA meeting in Stockholm, Sweden]]

SuSanA is dedicated to achieving the [[Sustainable Development Goals]], and in particular SDG6 (Goal Number 6) which is "water and sanitation for all".<ref name="website 1" /> This is done by promoting [[sustainable sanitation]] systems. These systems should be "economically viable, socially acceptable, technically and institutionally appropriate, and protect health, the environment and natural resources".<ref name="website 2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.susana.org/en/about/vision-mission|title=Sustainable sanitation|website=Sustainable Sanitation Alliance|accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref>

SuSanA is one of several knowledge management platform in the [[WASH]] sector such as the [[LinkedIn]] Discussion Group "Community of Practice on Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries" by [[Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council|WSSCC]] (now defunct), Blue Planet, [[International Water Association]] (IWA), Akvopedia and others.<ref>Cranston, P. (2014). [http://www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/2023 Knowledge Management and Building Demand for Sanitation]. Final report from a consultancy assignment for Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) program, Euforic Services, Oxford, UK</ref>

===Activities===

Since 2007, SuSanA has held 23 meetings in different locations around the world. Each year one meeting takes place before or after the [[World Water Week in Stockholm]], and a further meeting usually takes place in the [[Global South]], connected to another WASH event. SuSanA also organises side events, seminars and working group meetings in conjunction with other major [[WASH]] conferences.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

SuSanA members are contributing to [[Wikipedia]] articles on WASH-related topics.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sei-international.org/press/press-releases/3771|title=Join the SuSanA Sanitation Wikipedia project|date=10 October 2017|website=Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)|access-date=9 November 2017}}</ref> They are particularly active just before two [[List of international observances|international observance days]]: [[World Water Day]] on 22 March and [[World Toilet Day]] on 19 November.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sei-international.org/-news-archive/3642|title=SuSanA seeks volunteers to upgrade Wikipedia sanitation pages|date=9 March 2017|website=Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)|access-date=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> They have also set up a list of "[[List of abbreviations used in sanitation]]".<ref name="website 3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.susana.org/en/knowledge-hub/shared-learning/glossary|title=Glossary and Wikipedia|website=Sustainable Sanitation Alliance|accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref>

=== Funding sources ===

SuSanA has no legal structure, budget nor income. Partners contribute time and resources from their own budgets. The SuSanA secretariat is funded by the [[Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development|German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development]] (BMZ) who has commissioned the [[Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit]] (GIZ) GmbH. Between 2012 and 2018, co-funding for the online Discussion Forum and other improvements to the SuSanA platform was provided by the [[Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>Elisabeth von Muench, Dorothee Spuhler, Trevor Surridge, Nelson Ekane, Kim Andersson, Emine Goekce Fidan, Arno Rosemarin (2013) [http://www.susana.org/_resources/documents/default/2-2042-ssp-17okt20134-10-about-the-gates-sanitation-grants-on-forum.pdf Sustainable Sanitation Alliance members take a closer look at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's sanitation grants], Sustainable Sanitation Practice Journal, Issue 17, pp. 4–10</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sanitationupdates.wordpress.com/2016/11/04/sustainable-sanitation-alliance-grant-of-2-7-million-to-supercharge-sustainable-sanitation-knowledge-platform/|title=Sustainable Sanitation Alliance: Grant of $2.7 million to supercharge sustainable sanitation knowledge platform|date=4 November 2016|publisher=Sanitation Updates|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref>

Several active core group partners, for example [[Stockholm Environment Institute|SEI]], seecon, [[Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association|BORDA]], [[Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology]], [[International Water Association|IWA]], and [[WASTE]], have also funded various travel costs of SuSanA members, seminars, the printing of SuSanA publications and so forth.<ref name=":0" />

In 2020, the [[Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council]] announced a stronger collaboration with SuSanA by merging their Community of Practice group into the SuSanA Discussion Forum, including financial support to the moderation of the SuSanA Discussion Forum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsscc.org/2020/01/08/wsscc-announce-merger-of-community-of-practice-platform-with-susana/|title=WSSCC announce merger of "Community of Practice" platform with SuSanA|date=8 January 2020|website=WSSCC - News|access-date=24 January 2020}}</ref>

=== Impacts ===

The activities of the SuSanA network have contributed to increasing awareness about [[sustainability]] in the sanitation sector. SuSanA members were active in the [[Post-2015 Development Agenda]] and helped to shape the [[Sustainable Development Goals]] where Goal Number 6 now includes a goal of universal use of sustainable sanitation services that protect [[public health]] and dignity.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

Other actors have picked up on the theme of innovative sanitation (often with [[reuse of excreta]] in some form), most notably the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Sustainable sanitation has become a topic in the nexus (water, energy, food) dialogue as well as in the WASH and nutrition theme.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gates |first=Bill&Melinda |date=15 June 2022 |title=Water, sanitation & Hygiene |journal=Bill&Melinda Journal}}</ref>

SuSanA fulfills an "intermediary role" in a global innovation system. It was found to be a "prime mover" in the development of "safely managed non-grid sanitation''".''<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last1=van Welie|first1=Mara J|last2=Boon|first2=Wouter P C|last3=Truffer|first3=Bernhard|date=2020|title=Innovation system formation in international development cooperation: The role of intermediaries in urban sanitation|url=https://academic.oup.com/spp/advance-article/doi/10.1093/scipol/scaa015/5740778|journal=Science and Public Policy|language=en|volume=47|issue=3|pages=333–347|doi=10.1093/scipol/scaa015|issn=0302-3427|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Structure==

=== Thematic working groups ===

SuSanA has 13 thematic working groups covering areas of [[sustainable sanitation]] where conceptual and knowledge management work is required:<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.susana.org/en/working-groups/overview|title = Overview of the working groups|accessdate = 3 March 2015|publisher = Sustainable Sanitation Alliance}}</ref>

# [[Capacity building|Capacity development]]

# Market development

# Renewable energies and [[climate change]]

# Sanitation systems, technology options, [[hygiene]] and health – includes [[hand washing]]

# [[Food security]] and productive sanitation systems ([[reuse of excreta]])

# Cities and planning

# Community, rural and schools (with gender and social aspects) – includes [[community-led total sanitation]]

# Emergency and reconstruction situations ([[emergency sanitation]])

# Public Awareness, [[advocacy]] and civil society engagement

# Operation and maintenance

# Groundwater protection – includes [[groundwater pollution]] issues

# [[WASH]] and nutrition – includes issues on [[malnutrition]]

# [[Behavior change (public health)|Behavior change]]

=== Partner organizations ===

SuSanA has over 360 partner organizations (as of March 2021).<ref name=":2" /> The partners are of the following types: Local NGO, International NGO, private sector, research and education, governmental / state-owned organization, multi-lateral organizations, associations and networks and others.<ref name=":0">SuSanA (2019). [http://www.susana.org/en/resources/library/details/1302 A standard set of Powerpoint slides to explain SuSanA]. SuSanA Secretariat, located at GIZ, Eschborn, Germany</ref> All prospective new SuSanA partner organizations have to agree to the vision document when they join.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

A [[social network analysis|network analysis]] study conducted in 2014 assessed the SuSanA network by examining the communication channels used and the quality of relationships among partners.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|last1 = Saffer|first1 = Adam|title = Sustainable Relationships within the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance: SuSanA Network Analysis Report|url = https://www.academia.edu/12048446|publisher = University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, USA|year = 2014}}</ref> It found that "SuSanA partners have strong levels of trust, cooperation and information exchange with one another". However, partners seem to have low diversity of relationships with partners in different economic zones, such as [[developing countries]] versus developed countries.<ref name=":3" /> Many of the partners use their membership primarily to receive information from the discussion forum.<ref name=":3" />

=== Individual members ===

Individuals can join as members. There are nearly 13,000 members (as of March 2021).<ref name=":1" />

== Challenges and difficulties ==

SuSanA has been criticized by some in the [[WASH]] (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) sector for a perceived dominance of the [[ecosan]] theme in SuSanA. This is due to the strong focus of two of its founding organizations on ecosan: [[Stockholm Environment Institute]] and [[Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit|Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH]]. Others have criticised SuSanA for being too focussed on technologies and sanitation systems (rather than on non-technical issues); that it is too dominated by people from the Global North; too dominated by GIZ who leads the secretariat; and too theoretical and far removed from the realities on the ground.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

The activities of SuSanA so far have a tendency to take place and be driven by actors in the Global North, especially by European actors.<ref name=":4" /> To overcome this to some extent, SuSaA set-up local "chapters" in India in 2016, West Asia and North Africa ([[MENA|WANA]]) in 2017, and Latin America in 2018.<ref name=":4" />

SuSanA has no regional nodes, offices or secretariats. It also has limited impact so far in the non-English speaking parts of the world, notably Russia or Central Asia.

The SuSanA core group has reacted to these criticisms by defining a mission statement in 2014, a roadmap for 2013 onwards and by hosting an open discussion forum where such issues can be discussed.<ref name=":0" /> Recommendations made in 2014 to the SuSanA network for its future development and to further develop relationships among partners include: Continue to hold meetings in different locations around the world, establish regional nodes, re-activate the working groups, and create more active members through engagement.<ref name=":3" />

== History ==

SuSanA started in January 2007 with a first meeting in Eschborn, Germany, at [[Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit|Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH]], an international enterprise owned by the [[German Federal Government]]. GIZ agreed to host SuSanA's secretariat and has been doing so since 2007. The reason why SuSanA was started in 2007 was to prepare for the [[International Year of Sanitation]] in 2008, and to align the organizations active in sustainable sanitation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVfU3df4mOA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/IVfU3df4mOA |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=SuSanA's milestones and impacts during 2007–2017 (by SuSanA members and Thilo Panzerbieter)|website=Video of a presentation at the 10th SuSanA anniversary in Eschborn, Germany on 17 January 2017 (youtube video)|access-date=14 April 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

A research project in 2020 has split the development of SuSanA into the following phases:<ref name=":4" />

* Phase 1 (2007–2009): Alignment and articulation

* Phase 2 (2010–2016): Supporting learning processes

* Phase 3 (from 2017 onwards): Directionality and global reach

* [[List of abbreviations used in sanitation]]

* [[List of water supply and sanitation by country]]

* [[Sanitation]]

* [[WASH]]

* [[Human right to water and sanitation]]

* [[Water issues in developing countries]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

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{{Commons category}}

* {{Official website|http://www.susana.org}}

[[Category:Professional networks]]

[[Category:Sustainability organizations]]

[[Category:Sanitation]]

[[Category:Right to health]]