42nd WEDC International Conference
Equitable and Sustainable WASH Services:
Future challenges in a rapidly changing world
ONLINE: 13-15 September 2021
Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the conference in 2021 will take place entirely online.
The WEDC International Conference is a valued and respected platform for reflection and exchange of knowledge and ideas that are rooted in practice. Our title this year recognises that we face a future that is uncertain as the world is challenged by the impact of external factors, particularly climate change. The WEDC International Conference seeks to create a safe, open and honest exchange and debate of experiences of the WASH sector within our changing environment. It supports learning and sharing, which is critical for progress towards global goals and aspirations. The open-access repository of conference contributions will also support the sharing of experiences beyond the event and into the future.
Over three days, the 42nd Conference will comprise:
- Online presentations and interactive discussions of peer-reviewed content
- Agency events from international organizations working in the sector
- A Poster Gallery for summaries of WASH projects and programmes
- An Online Exhibition Area: a unique and valuable opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their cutting edge developments, products and services
- The opportunity for delegates to meet and network in our virtual rooms
Typically attracting more than 400 participants from research, practice and policy communities across more than 40 countries, this is truly a unique international event.
Why should I attend the WEDC International Conference?
Our event is valued by the sector, because:
- Conference sessions are facilitated by sector experts, who dedicate equal time to presentation and facilitated discussion ensuring that key lessons are identified, and that the collective experiences from participants are shared, enhancing the learning of both presenters and the audience.
- Our focus on sharing of practice and experiences seeks to actively encourage constructive dialogue and debate between researchers and practitioners. This helps to ensure that future research addresses the needs of practitioners and that practitioners are aware of the latest research findings.
- Our open access database of conference papers is a unique repository within the sector and enables sharing of conference proceedings and experiences beyond the conference audience with around 20,000 downloads per month.
- Our audience is predominantly (more than 70 percent) from low- and middle-income countries, as such experience is shared between people working in similar contexts, where lessons and good practice are more readily transferable.
