WASH & COVID-19 virtual symposium

National Advocacy for Sanitation Workers in

21 April 2021

National Convention for the Pit Emptiers 2016 2017 2018 2020

• Dignity for the • Occupational • Emptiers to • Health Pit Emptiers Safety and Entrepreneurs Insurance for • Decent Work Health in FSM the Sanitation Workers Impact of Advocacy Initiatives

• Government Issued a circular directing Cities and Municipalities for ensuring OHS • Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) developed training manual on OHS for pit emptiers LGIs and recently for all waste workers • DPHE allocated fund for training on OHS • DPHE/ ITN-BUET developed pool of trainers on OHS (35 Master Trainer and more than 300 Trainers and provide training) • DPHE/ ITN-BUET enlisting waste workers and allocated budget for PPE

• 39% workers do not have access to handwashing facilities • 37% waste workers lack at work. knowledge about • access to treatment for 97% of waste workers Covid-19 use safety gears during their work, 48% of • OpEx of SWEEP crossed them do not feel 162% of the monthly comfortable using such earning from the materials. business

• HH income reduced 41% per month and one member of every three • No hand washing station in HH became unemployed. the premise: 12% • Almost half of the • Hand washing stations individuals (48%) and their without soap: 26.33% family members (42%) experienced COVID-19 • Hand washing station with symptoms including one soap but hands touching confirmed case. water in storage: 61.67% Media Coverage Development of National deployment and vaccine plan (NDVP) by DGHS in Oct 2020 FSM network outline actions for advocacy

WaterAid on behalf of FSM network approached to Minister, MoHFW for inclusion of sanitation worker in the frontliners list.

FSM Network appealed to Minister, MoLGRD&C through a letter for sanitation workers to get the first line priority;

During 36th LCG meeting (WASH), this issue was proposed by WaterAid and on principle, the Additional Secretary, MoLGRD&C agreed to deal this issue. Media Campaign

Massive media advocacy and joint call finally resulted to include sanitation and waste workers in the first priority group of COVID-19 vaccine

• Daily Ittefaq • • Daily • • • Daily • Daily Kaler Kantha Initiative by Ministry of LGRD&C, per FSM Network Advocacy

MoLGRD&C issued a circular requesting MoLGRD&C issued another circular Ministry of Health inclusion of sanitation requesting LGIs to include and promote the workers in the priority group and promote issue of vaccination of sanitation workers Final approval

The approved document (in Dec 2020) mentioned about the sanitation worker and in priority group (A1, A3-in phases) Provision in the on-line vaccination registration system

An option was created within Surokkha app for sanitation workers

FSM Network developed leaflets for registration easily Support LGIs and Pit Emptiers for Registration

FSM network members supported LGIs to include the Pit Emptiers in the Vaccination and to get the sanitation workers registration process

Since February 8, 2021, vaccination started nationwide

Challenge: • Many of the Pit Emptiers don't have NID, some don't use cell phones; several didn’t get SMS for vaccine date; • Registration of the Informal Pit Emptiers Thank You