To bring the sufferings of women engaged in manual scavenging (WMS) into light and to explore solutions for the same, Jal Seva Charitable Foundation (WaterAid India), in collaboration with Association for Rural and Urban Needy (ARUN) and Centre for Equity Studies (CES), supported by the European Commission (EC) undertook a project from January 2

Given the importance of community-managed drinking water supply for the success of Jal Jeevan Mission’s ambition, it is important to look back and learn from some of the demand-driven, community managed schemes.

The right to water and sanitation is necessary for the enjoyment of other human rights, including the right to life and human dignity, the right to health, the right to adequate food, the right to development and the right to a healthy environment.

A discussion paper on issues of water and sanitation one year after the 'Delhi Declaration', and one year before SACOSAN IV in Sri Lanka in 2010, South Asian civil society organisations and networks are assessing governments' progress.

"Right to Water and Sanitation", is a briefing paper (draft)of WaterAid India, based on secondary research. It reviews the current status of drinking water and sanitation in India and concludes that viewing the issue of water and sanitation as a fundamental human right, is necessary to ensure the provision of these basic facilities of the majority of the population in the country.

For some people, the water crisis means having to walk long distances every day to fetch enough drinking water - clean or unclean - just to get by. For others, it means suffering from malnutrition or disease caused by droughts, floods or inadequate sanitation. Many people suffer these hardships due to lack of funds or inadequate knowledge of how to solve local water use and
allocation problems.

This report is the outcome of a study undertaken to understand the principles of what has worked and what has not worked in Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) which is the national programme on reforms in rural sanitation launched by the Government of India in 1999.