According to the World Health Organization, two billion people still do not have basic sanitation facilities and nearly a billion are forced to practice open defecation. In recent years, many governments and organisations have invested into re-building the toilets of the future in order to address the sanitation crisis. Data sensors and other digital-based solutions are playing an important part in reshaping the next generation of sanitation systems.

The event, organised on the occasion of World Toilet Day, will focus on digital health innovations in the field of sanitation and will shed light on organisations based in Geneva working to improve the global sanitation landscape.

Programme:

Livestream from Pune, important hub for sanitation systems in India, with Cheryl Hicks, Executive Director and CEO, The Toilet Board Coalition.

Picture presentation by prize-winning Swiss reporter Arnaud Robert who spent months in India, China, Africa and Switzerland on the trail of the best sanitation solution.

Panel conversation with:

• Umej Singh Bhatia, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the United Nations Offices in Geneva
• Nollaig Forrest, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Firmenich
• Philippe Morier Genoud, Biologist and Founder of Innovative Dry Toilets Systems
• Amandeep Singh Gill, Project Lead, International Digital and AI Health Research Collaborative, the Graduate Institute, Geneva
• Elizabeth Wamera, Technical Expert on Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council

Serge Michel, Chief Editor of Heidi.news, will moderate the event.

This event is organised in partnership with Heidi.news as a follow-up to its story, “The Toilet Revolution”. It also has the support of the Toilet Board Coalition and UN-Water.