Ep15: WASH what? Susan K. Barnett on Water, Sanitation & Hygiene

As we live our way into conditions of chronic pandemic occurring inside rapid shifts in climate, water security is less assured no matter where you are in the world. In addition to drinking water, competition for the water we need for sanitation and hygiene is mounting, from households to hospitals. Challenges include long-standing global inequities between rich and poor countries and growing local inequities between rich and poor areas within wealthy countries, such as the ongoing water supply debacle in Flint, Michigan, USA. 

Sister Surgeons has the pleasure of talking with Susan K Barnett, an award-winning investigative journalist (ABC News PrimeTime Live, 20/20 & DatelineNBC), turned to strategic media/communications/ advocacy for nonprofits, and founder of Cause Communications. 

Susan leads communications for projects focused on her passion: Water. Global Water 2020 pushed to get the foundation for health—water, toilets, hygiene—into health facilities because 100s of 1000s lack this most basic need. It puts women & children at particular risk. GW2020 also focused on water as a path to security. Faiths for Safe Water engages leaders in advocacy around the single symbol all religions share: Water. Faith in Foreign Assistance advocates strengthening USG support for foreign aid. 

Domestically, Susan leads communications for Auburn Senior Fellows, 25 justice-centered faith leaders.

She has produced several films including a series for rainforest dwellers in Borneo linking forest and human health, which aided ending logging in one of Borneo’s last rainforests. 

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For the DEEP DIVERS:

On Twitter, start with @WASHAdvocate @GlobalWater2020 @USAIDWater @WaterAid @UN_Water @WorldBankWater

Global Water 2020 WASH legacy list, from global awareness days, legislation, the (Sister Surgeons' fave) First Ladies of Latin America and Africa and The Rotary to Youtube channels, NGOs, United Nations organizations and USAID. For those who want to join the cause, if it has to do with water or WASH, start here!

Global Water 2020 has gathered a broad selection of resources highlighting the US Government's global water efforts, leadership and Federal funding testimonies given to the House Appropriations Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) and Labor, Health and Human Service, Education and Related Agencies (Labor HHS), the World Health Organization's solidarity statement created in partnership with Global Water 2020, Funding sources for WASH and Global Water 2020's wide array of open source materials for WASH advocacy, policy and implementation.