Indian campaigners deliver manifesto for change
Election advocacy sees water and sanitation issues prominent in party promises
The memorandum being presented to
political party leaders.
Campaigners in India successfully acted to ensure commitments on delivering water and sanitation were prominent in elections being held in the world’s largest democracy.
Modern Architects for Rural India (MARI), a grassroots organisation working in 200 villages in Andhra Pradesh, India, organised campaigning and advocacy activities in the run up to the Indian elections to ensure the main political parties included commitments on water and sanitation in their election manifestos.
A memorandum of demands to ensure the realisation of the rights to safe water and sanitation – agreed through an extensive and in-depth consultation with local communities – were presented to all prominent political party leaders at national and state-level. The memorandum agreed by the community representatives included demands for the realisation for the right to water and sanitation, the bridging of the gap between supply and demand, improvement of water quality, and good services in all schools.
In testament to the success of the grassroots campaign, the demands were included in the manifestos of no less than seven political parties. Four of these parties are national parties with mass following, including the eventual victors, the Indian National Congress Party, opening up the potential for major changes.
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