Asian Sanitation Data Book 2008: Achieving Sanitation for All

Abstract

The first data book on sanitation for the Asia and Pacific region, this book features raw data and analyses on the sanitation situation in 27 cities. The initiative was realized in response to the needs of Asian cities and local governments, which gathered at the International Seminar on Sanitation 2007 - Delivering Our Vision: Sanitation for All, organized by CITYNET, ADB, and the city government of Makati, at the ADB headquarters in Metro Manila, Philippines, in November 2007. Sanitation has long been an issue that has received little attention due to its complexity. The absence of relevant data has hindered cities and local governments from adopting appropriate policies and strategies to meet the provision of "sanitation for all." Moreover, technologies that reflect the needs of communities, as well as the communities' ability and willingness to pay for better sanitation, are limited. This publication, the first joint effort of CITYNET, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), and Veolia Environnement, highlights the need for more work to be done on sanitation in Asia and the Pacific. Focus and action must be directed at accurate data collection and management to support decision making, appropriate and low-cost technologies, and the allocation of resources for the provision of sanitation. These are but a few issues that need immediate attention and action.