THE UNIVERSITY of NORTH CAROLINA at CHAPEL HILL

2022 UNC Water and Health Conference

About the Conference

The UNC Water & Health Conference convenes policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to review the latest developments in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The event fosters discussions around innovative solutions, evidence-based policies, and emerging challenges in the WASH sector.

Key Themes & Focus Areas:

  • Global WASH Policy & Governance: Addressing gaps in sanitation, hygiene, and water access through data-driven approaches and innovative financing.
  • Water Security & Climate Change: Examining water scarcity, climate adaptation, and sustainable WASH governance strategies.
  • Sanitation & Hygiene Innovation: Scaling up safe sanitation systems, understanding the role of market-based solutions, and addressing menstrual health.
  • WASH in Public Health & Healthcare Settings: Strengthening WASH services in health care facilities, emergency response, and pandemic preparedness.
  • Equity, Inclusion & Behavioral Change: Ensuring safe WASH services for marginalized communities, improving labor conditions for sanitation workers, and promoting gender-sensitive approaches

Conference Highlights:

Plenary Sessions:

  • State of the World’s WASH: A review of global reports on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, emphasizing gaps and urgent action needed to meet SDG 6.
  • Capacity & Innovation in WASH: Discussion on how public and private sectors can scale up WASH solutions through innovative financing and training.
  • WASH in Haiti: Key challenges and progress in strengthening Haiti’s water and sanitation sector, featuring insights from DINEPA leaders.
  • Advancing WASH in 2023: Preparations for the UN Water Conference and strategies to accelerate global commitments to water security.

Workshops & Side Events:

  • Scaling Market-Based Sanitation: Examining successful business models for sanitation services in urban and rural areas.
  • Water Quality Monitoring & Safe Drinking Water: Exploring new data-driven tools and regulations for improving water safety.
  • Emergency WASH & Resilience: Strengthening water infrastructure to withstand climate-related and humanitarian crises.
  • Sanitation Workers’ Rights & Safety: Addressing the health and dignity of sanitation laborers in low-income settings.

Research & Innovation Showcases:

  • Poster Presentations & Technology Showcases: Cutting-edge research on antimicrobial resistance, point-of-use water treatments, and decentralized wastewater management.
  • Field Studies & Case Studies: Presentations from global research institutions on sanitation interventions, environmental health, and water management practices.

Networking & Engagement:

  • Careers in WASH Sessions: Discussions with professionals from organizations like UNICEF, WHO, and the CDC about career pathways in water and sanitation.
  • Happy Hour & Poster Sessions: Informal networking opportunities for researchers, policymakers, and students.
  • Twitter Rapporteurs & Digital Engagement: Social media coverage via #UNCwaterandhealth, highlighting key takeaways in real-time.

Let's create a water secure future together.

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