WASH Works 2023

March 23, 2023

New York City & Online everywhere

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About the Event

On the sidelines of the U.N. Water Conference and as a continuation of the Devex WASH Works series, Devex will bring together leaders in person in New York City and online to discuss the ways in which water, sanitation, and hygiene efforts intersect with other development challenges, specifically in low- and middle-income countries.

Water is fundamental to life yet water issues also threaten the lives of billions worldwide. One in 3 people cannot access safe drinking water, 2 out of 5 people don’t have basic hand-washing facilities including soap and water, and more than 673 million people still practice open defecation. Floods and other water-related disasters account for 70% of all deaths related to natural disasters.

Access to WASH is a cross-cutting issue impacting numerous SDGs. Through insightful interviews and provocative debate, Devex reporters will dig into how water affects health, food, climate, gender, finance, and what the broader global development community needs to do to make urgent progress.

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Agenda

11:30 a.m. ET

Networking lunch and registration
In person only

12:30 p.m. ET

Opening remarks

Kate Warren, executive vice president and executive editor, Devex

12:32 p.m. ET

One Drop Foundation’s Social Art for Behaviour Change approach for the SDGs

12:35 p.m. ET

Charting the waters: What's at stake

Speaker:
• Kate Medlicott, team leader sanitation and wastewater, WHO

Interviewer: Sara Jerving, senior reporter, Devex

12:50 p.m. ET

Climate resilient water and sanitation

Speakers:
• Catarina de Albuquerque, CEO, Sanitation and Water for All
• Jeffrey Goldberg, director, USAID's Center for Water Security Sanitation and Hygiene
• Helena Dollimore, global head of sustainability – Health & Wellbeing, Unilever
• Bruce Gordon, unit head of water, sanitation, hygiene and health, World Health Organization

Interviewer: Sara Jerving, senior reporter, Devex

1:20 p.m. ET

Local partnerships for smart water

Speaker:
• Eric Stowe, founder and CEO, Splash
• Wali Mwalugongo, innovatins manager, Citywise

Interviewer: Anna Gawel, managing editor, Devex

1:40 p.m. ET

Water in crisis

Speakers:
• Elizabeth Koch, senior manager of international programs, Environmental Law Institute
• Stefania Giodini, Manager at Water Advisory & Innovation, Netherlands Red Cross
• Nicole Hark, Deputy country director, Mercy Corps Syria
• Rolando Wallusche Saul, WASH humanitarian team lead, Catholic Relief Services

Interviewer: Sara Jerving, senior reporter, Devex

2:10 p.m. ET

Sanitation and Hygiene: An investment opportunity

Speaker:
• Anita Bhatia, assistant secretary-general and deputy executive director for resource management, UN Women; board member, Sanitation and Hygiene Fund

Interviewer: Colum Lynch, senior global reporter, Devex

2:25 p.m. ET

Networking and Coffee break
In person only

2:50 p.m. ET

Hygiene – a critical foundation of health. In partnership with Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute

Speakers:
• David Wheeler, director of strategy and operations, Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute
• Dominic O'Neill, executive director, Sanitation and Hygiene Fund

Interviewer: Kate Warren, executive vice president and executive editor, Devex

3:05 p.m. ET

WASH rights are women's and girls' rights

Speakers:
• Kelly Parsons, CEO, WaterAid America
• Anita Soina, global youth champion on WASH, Sanitation and Water for All
• Abby Maxman, president and CEO, Oxfam America
• Naomi Tulay-Solanke, founder and executive director, Community Healthcare Initiative

Interviewer: Anna Gawel, managing editor, Devex

3:35 p.m. ET

Where water meets food

Speaker:
• Michael Dunford, regional director for East Africa, World Food Programme

Interviewer: Colum Lynch, senior global reporter, Devex

3:50 p.m. ET

Right to water, right to food: The importance of sustainability in food systems

Speakers:
• Aaron Sundsmo, associate vice president of agriculture, resilience, and water, Winrock International
• Ahmad Shuka, program manager for Livelihood and Environmental Actions for Development, or LEAD, Mercy Corps
• Dr. Inga Jacobs-Mata, regional representative for Southern Africa, International Water Management Institute
• Aparna Shrivastava, deputy chief climate officer, DFC

Interviewer: Sara Jerving, senior reporter, Devex

4:35 p.m. ET

Water and Climate: A conversation with Sulton Rahimzoda

Speaker:
• Sulton Rahimzoda, special envoy of the president of the Republic of Tajikistan for the Water and Climate Coalition Leaders; chairman of the executive committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea

Interviewer: Anna Gawel, managing editor, Devex

4:55 p.m. ET

Closing Remarks

Kate Warren, executive vice president and executive editor, Devex

5 p.m. ET

Reception
In person only

Network with speakers and other guests over cocktails and canapes at our reception in partnership with Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute.