The challenges facing the Foundation’s sanitation partners and our other colleagues working in the sector are enormous. Forty percent of the world’s population (2.5 billion people) practice OD or lack improved sanitation facilities; the consequences of this for human health and the environment are staggering. Poor sanitation contributes to about 700,000 child deaths from diarrhea each year, sanitation-related environmental enteropathy impedes child development and is linked to stunting and a reduced effectiveness of vaccines. Poor sanitation robs women and girls of their dignity and safety, and inflicts significant economic losses on national economies. This report attempts to outline what the Foundation and its BDS partners are doing to help meet these challenges and move the world towards universal sanitation. Naturally, it is impossible to capture everything that these individuals and organizations are accomplishing. However, we hope that readers will be inspired by it, and if particularly interested in certain topics, projects or organizations—they can use the contact information provided to find out more. This document comprises an introduction to the foundation's WSH program, the portfolio progress (for 22 BDS grants), a summary with discussion of what is working, knowledge management and research needs as well as prospects. The Foundation’s partners are a determined, resilient, and innovative group of professionals who consistently see opportunities and synergies rather than focusing on constraints and roadblocks. The Hanoi BDS workshop offered us another opportunity to focus our attention on what we’ve learned and how we can use that knowledge to accelerate global Progress towards achieving universal sanitation. BDS grantees are carrying out a range of interventions and research efforts focused on sanitation demand creation, market establishment, systems strengthening (enabling environment), reaching and empowering marginalized groups, and understanding and improving behavior change approaches.

Bibliographic information

BMGF (2015). Building demand for sanitation - a 2015 portfolio update and overview Water, sanitation, and hygiene strategy, June 2015 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA

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