"SANITATION CONNECTION" WEB-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION NETWORK LAUNCHED
The World Health Organisation (WHO) , United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the International Water Association (IWA) form an international partnership to offer a comprehensive Internet resource to environmental sanitation practitioners BRAZIL : A major web-based network on all aspects of environmental sanitation has been launched on the 27th of November 2000 at the Fifth Global Forum of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), taking place in Brazil from 24-29 November 2000. Called Sanitation Connection, it comprises an easy-to-access web portal and an ever-growing number of authoritative articles and links for the practitioner on environmental sanitation issues, and focuses on authoritative information on technologies, institutions and financing . The web address is at www.sanicon.net
Users can click on the topic which interests them to read a short overview article, with references and links to web-based source material. For example, clicking on School Sanitation will take the user in three clicks to a key UNICEF resource on sanitation for schools. In time, users will also be able to view pages of regional information so that they can link up with other initiatives in their area. In the first phase, the primary language will be English but it is intended to include other languages as the resource develops.
Each set of theme pages is managed by organisations with an international standing in the particular subject. Sanitation Connection is a cooperative effort of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the International Water Association (IWA). These organisations will ensure that pages are kept up-to-date and develop a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs).
An Interactive web based and Telephonic Help Desk has also been established as a service, you may send in your queries to helpdesk@sanicon.net. For those without access to the Internet, further information on Sanitation Connection is available from Help Desk at this phone number 91-11-4690488. Sanitation Connection is Actively seeking new partners, particularly to manage regional sites- please visit the Help Desk to express your interest or contact a member of the core group.
The partnership of international organisations leading the Sanitation Connection initiative is also a first. The organisations all share a desire to improve sanitation worldwide as per their respective mandates : UNEP developed the concept of a web-based network as part of its Global Programme of Action to reduce land-based pollution of the marine environment.See http://www.gpa.unep.org/http://www.gpa.unep.org/:
