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    • Opinion
    • #MDGmomentum

    Choosing the right post-2015 sanitation indicators

    As we inch closer to the MDGs deadline, how can we spark real progress on sanitation ? Let's set a target to measure and reduce the amount of untreated waste, Brian Arbogast, head of WASH for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, writes in an opinion for our #MDGMomentum campaign.

    By Brian Arbogast // 26 August 2014

    In just under 500 days, we will reach the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals. Some of those goals will be met, and I hope that those involved will take a moment to celebrate. But that isn’t the case for those of us working in the area of sanitation.

    We are among the furthest from achieving our MDG target, which is to reduce by half the number of people who don’t have access to improved sanitation. Falling short of this target is a major disappointment, but we also need to recognize that the indicator itself does not capture the breadth of the sanitation challenge. Put simply: in order to accelerate change that truly improves and saves lives, we will need to change what we measure.

    No doubt, providing people with access to toilets is a critical step. However, what we have found over the years since the MDGs were set is that mere access to toilets does not result in safe sanitation. Toilets are necessary, but not sufficient. Two more steps are required: people have to use the toilets, and the waste contained by toilets must not be released untreated into the environment, where it will make people sick.

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    Read more articles on the MDG Momentum:

    ● Lessons from the front line: Innovative technologies for urban agriculture and nutrition
    ● 500 days and beyond in education
    ● Life is a journey, not a destination' — but then what were the MDGs?

    • Global Health
    • Water & Sanitation
    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).
    The views in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect Devex's editorial views.

    About the author

    • Brian Arbogast

      Brian Arbogast

      Brian Arbogast leads the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's effort to bring groundbreaking innovations in sanitation technology. Arbogast was previously a corporate vice president at Microsoft Corporation, leading an international portfolio of research and development projects. More recently, he concentrated in cleantech and international development, driving market solutions to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

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