Women in WASH advocacy network marks International Zero Waste Day

The Women in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Advocacy Network (WinWASH) joins the global community to mark International Zero Waste Day with an urgent call for action on plastic waste management and environmental sustainability in Ghana.

On this International Zero Waste Day, Women in WASH calls for strengthened enforcement of existing regulations, and government must ensure strict implementation of plastic waste policies, including applying sanctions for non-compliance and incentives for sustainable alternatives.

Women in WASH, in a statement to Modern Ghana News on Wednesday, called for increased and sustainable financing for waste management and the establishment of dedicated funding mechanisms to expand waste collection, recycling infrastructure, and circular economy solutions across urban and rural communities.

International Zero Waste Day is observed annually on March 30 and brings together governments, organisations, businesses, communities, and individuals to take action toward eliminating waste and creating a cleaner, healthier planet and also to promote sustainable consumption, reduce waste, and advance circular economy solutions globally.

International Zero Waste Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution 77/161 and is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

The day aims to raise awareness about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of waste, including food loss, plastic pollution, and unsustainable production and consumption patterns.

The Women in WASH, also known as WinWASH, in commemorating the day stressed the need for scaled-up behaviour change and public education campaigns and the roll-up of sustained, targeted campaigns to shift attitudes and practices toward reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic waste.

Other issues the Women in WASH is drawing local and international attention to include investment in integrated waste management systems, and efficient systems for waste segregation, collection, recycling, and safe disposal must be prioritised to prevent leakage into the environment.

The rest are empowerment of women and community-led solutions; women must be supported to climb up as leaders, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers in plastic waste management and environmental sustainability initiatives.

Women in WASH also emphasised strengthened multi-stakeholder partnerships and building collaboration among government, private sector, civil society, and development partners, which it considered essential to mobilise resources, scale innovation, and drive lasting impact.

It, therefore, called for urgent, coordinated action to address Ghana’s escalating plastic waste crisis and its impact on environmental sustainability, public health, and livelihoods.

Ghana generates an estimated 840,000 to over 1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, yet only about 5–10 per cent is collected for recycling, leaving the majority to pollute communities, choke drainage systems, and contaminate water bodies.

According to Women in WASH, this growing crisis contributes significantly to flooding in urban areas, environmental degradation, and health risks, with reports indicating that a large proportion of water bodies are polluted with plastic waste.

While inadequate waste management infrastructure remains a major challenge, Women in WASH emphasises that the plastic waste crisis in Ghana is driven by multiple, interconnected factors.

The factors include weak enforcement of environmental regulations, allowing indiscriminate disposal and unchecked production of plastics. Limited and unsustainable financing, constraining investments in waste systems and innovation Lack of public awareness and long-term changes in behaviour that lead to bad waste separation and disposal practices Rapid urbanisation and high consumption of single-use plastics, especially sachet water and packaging materials

Women in WASH noted that addressing plastic pollution requires a holistic, systems-based approach that tackles governance, financing, infrastructure, and social behaviour simultaneously.

Women in WASH further highlights that women and vulnerable groups bear a disproportionate burden of this crisis. As primary managers of household water, sanitation, and hygiene, women are more exposed to polluted environments, unsafe water sources, and the health impacts of poor waste management.

It also stressed that the need to tackle enforcement gaps, financing constraints, and behaviour change challenges alongside infrastructure deficits is essential to achieving a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Ghana.

Women in WASH, however, affirms its commitment to advancing gender-responsive and inclusive solutions that address the root causes of plastic pollution.

WinWASH is a coalition of women working in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and other related sectors who are actively engaged in interventions to mainstream gender in water, sanitation and hygiene.

Over the past four decades, the conceptualisation and approach to women’s issues in WASH have evolved significantly from focusing on basic needs to integrating broader gender perspectives that emphasise equity, efficiency, and inclusion.

WinWASH seeks to empower women, influence policies, and advance climate-resilient WASH interventions that benefit communities across Ghana. By fostering leadership, advocacy, accountability, and collaboration, the network ensures that women are not only beneficiaries of WASH services but also key decision-makers shaping the sector.

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