We are happy to invite you to the launch of

      South Asia

          Campaign on

       

            Right To

      Sanitation in India

          on 19th March 2013 (11 AM – 3 PM) at

       

            Rajendra Bhawan, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, New

      Delhi

          . On the same

       

          day, collectives of social organisations are launching the campaign in

       

            Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and

      Sri Lanka

          as part of a coordinated

       

          effort of people’s organisations in South Asia and Regional level

       

            launch taking place in

      Kathmandu

          .

       

         

              The Campaign is launched in

        India

            in form of different activities

         

            across 18 states, including state capitals and different district

         

            level programmes. It will be followed by a series of activities on the

         

            issue. We request you to participate in the campaign and join us in

         

            this endeavor to “Make the Right Real and promote Right to Sanitation

         

            for All in India”.

         

           

              Sanitation and hygiene have been much neglected areas in India as well

           

              as in South Asia. India is the global capital in terms of people going

           

              for open defecation. Rural sanitation coverage is still around 30%

           

                (Census 2011) and the budget allocation is hardly 0.2% of our

          GDP

              . It

           

              results in deaths of more than 1000 children in India everyday and a

           

              loss of more than 6% of the GDP every year. Persons with disability,

           

              women, girls and socially excluded communities are the worst sufferers

           

              of this neglect too sanitation and hygiene. Our society and the

           

              government need to take special action on this subject to spread

           

              awareness and cultural change, abolish manual scavenging, increase

           

              budgetary allocations and utilization and recognize Right to

           

              Sanitation as a fundamental constitutional right for all citizens.

           

             

                Your participation and solidarity in the Launch of the campaign and

             

                its follow up activities is important to strengthen the cause of the

             

                Right To Sanitation, especially for the marginalized and excluded

             

                communities in India.

             

               

                  Looking forward to your participation in the launch event on 19 March

               

                  2013. A tentative program schedule is given below.

               

                 

                    In solidarity,

                 

                   

                     

                       

                          Rajni Tilak

                       

                          On behalf of

                       

                          Delhi Campaign Launch Convening Team

                       

                         

                           

                             

                                Schedule of launch programme for

                             

                               

                                  India Launch of Campaign on Right To Sanitation

                               

                                 

                                    10.30 AM – 11.00 AM Registration and Welcome songs

                                 

                                   

                                      11.00 AM – 11.15AM Welcome and introduction to the launch programme

                                   

                                     

                                        11.15AM – 11. 30 AM Introduction to the campaign : Purpose,

                                     

                                        strategies, targets, expected results, key demands

                                     

                                          11.15 AM– 11.45AM Sharing by

                                    Community Leaders

                                        on the situation

                                     

                                       

                                          11.45AM — 12.15PM Comments by social organizations on the situation

                                       

                                         

                                              12.15PM — 12.30PM Messages of

                                        Solidarity

                                         

                                            12.30PM – 1.00 PM Addresses by Chief Guest and Experts,

                                         

                                           

                                              1.00PM –1.10 PM Signatures for the launch

                                           

                                             

                                                1.10PM – 2.00PM Lunch Break

                                             

                                               

                                                  2.00PM – 2.45PM Future suggested action for the campaign : group of

                                               

                                                  community leaders, experts and activists

                                               

                                                 

                                                    2.45PM – 3.00PM Conclusive Remarks : DCCT

                                                 

                                                   

                                                        3.00 PM– 4.00

                                                  PM Press

                                                      Conference

                                                   

                                                     

                                                        4.00 PM Tea and Departure

                                                     

                                                       

                                                         

                                                           

                                                             

                                                               

                                                                 

                                                                   

                                                                     

                                                                       

                                                                       

                                                                          Rajni Tilak

                                                                       

                                                                          National Convener

                                                                       

                                                                          Rashtiya Dalit Mahila Andolan

                                                                       

                                                                          M-3/22, Model Town-III, Delhi 110009 INDIA

                                                                       

                                                                          Telephone: +91-11-27419002 Fax: +91-11-27442744

                                                                       

                                                                          website:

                                                                      www.nacdor.org