8 March: Break barriers, ensure WASH access for women. Interview with Hasin Jahan, Country Director, WaterAid Bangladesh.
The Daily Star (TDS): What are the key obstacles to achieving universal access to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene)?
Hasin Jahan (HJ): Significant challenges remain in ensuring universal WASH access. In a recent project under RAJUK, we selected a mixed-income area—ranging from high-income residents to slum dwellers—as a pilot for scalable solutions.
A key challenge we identified is the disparity in water access. Previously, the lack of land ownership denied the poor access to water. Now, they can apply collectively based on human rights principles to secure access. While WASA has improved water distribution in slums, access remains uneven.
