We recognize that gender equality, women’s empowerment, economic growth and development are mutually reinforcing and significantly correlated. We are concerned that exclusion widens disparities and inequality and therefore support both programmatic and policy interventions in this area. Sanitation plays a critical role in ensuring healthy and sustainable environment as enshrined in Art 18 of the Maputo Protocol. We believe in paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations with a particular focus on ending open defecation, improving health for all, improving school attendance and learning outcomes for girls and raising awareness on menstrual hygiene practices.

The African Renaissance Trust seeks to address the sanitation gaps in Africa through the use of a transformative approach that challenges social and cultural norms, structural and systemic barriers and normalizes sanitation as a State priority.