Innovations to reach those left behind: Including the last mile

Co-convenors: Inter-American Development Bank, Water Foundry, International Water Association (tbc) and Microsoft (tbc)

Traditional approaches have yet to deliver universal access to water and sanitation. Progress to date has proven unequal and exclusive, perpetuating significant inequalities in access, cost and service quality. Traditional centralized infrastructure and financing, business models and partnerships in many ways hinder the adoption of innovative strategies in the public utility sector such as digital applications, off-grid water generation, sludge management, or localized treatment. The result is a lack of inclusion of minorities and the poor in both developed and emerging economies leaving entire groups lagging-behind and vulnerable.

Innovation in technology, financing, partnerships, and business models have already proven to be cost effective. They also hold the promise of bridging the gap to deliver universal access improving access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, and improving the sustainable management of our water resources. Moreover, to identify and scale innovation in the sector we need “outsiders” from other industries and entrepreneurs to achieve SDG 6.

The seminar will showcase innovations designed and implemented to ensure inclusive solutions with a focus on marginalized areas in developed and emerging economies. How to mainstream innovation in service providers and the importance of developing and innovative organizational culture? How to compare and integrate innovations to ensure comprehensive solutions rather than piecemeal approaches? What criteria can be applied to compare and select different innovations designed to address similar problems? What type of incentives, business models, tools, and talent are required to foster innovations? This seminar will also tap into governance issues, public sector capacity, funding and financing, and the role of the young, women and marginalised groups to achieve inclusive, sustainable and resilient innovations.

Please read more on how to engage and submit your abstract here.

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