Theme 1 – Social inclusion and universal access

1. Sanitation: How to Serve Everyone
2. Making Universalization Policies Feasible in Rural Areas (Public Funding Programs, the role of Concessionaires)

The sessions on this theme will address crucial challenges related to the universalization of access to sanitation services, with a special focus on informal and rural areas, considering social inclusion and universal access as fundamental pillars. These regions often face critical deficiencies in sanitation and regular water supply, resulting in significant consequences for public health and the local economy.

Regarding sanitation, the session will explore how to serve everyone, prioritizing social inclusion and universal access. Necessary solutions for implementing sanitation systems in households in these areas will be analyzed, highlighting successful cases as references. The session we will discuss innovative approaches to ensure that even the most disadvantaged areas have access to adequate sanitation services.

The topic of universalization in rural areas will highlight the complexity of delivering sanitation services to rural areas. The specialists will examine the role of public funds and concessionaires in this process, addressing issues of funding, regulation, and operation. Another topic to be addressed is the feasibility of public funding programs and the role of concessionaires, considering social inclusion and universal access as fundamental guidelines. Additionally, it will discussed sustainable investment strategies for rural sanitation, going beyond isolated examples and focusing on long-term mechanisms.

Other topics: to be discussed: the importance of monitoring outcomes to ensure that sanitation services reach the most vulnerable áreas; effective measurement methods for irregular situations and how this data can influence public policies and concession contracts; the relevance of continuous monitoring to assess the outcome and the recurrence of investment in informal areas, ensuring the long-term effectiveness of interventions.