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Committee

The Program Committee brings together experts, practitioners, and thought leaders from across regions to shape a technically rigorous, inclusive, and action-oriented agenda.

Structure

  • Convenors
  • Advisory Committee
  • Steering Committee
  • Program Committee (International)
  • Program Committee (National)

CONVENORS

Mr. Sharad Adhikary

Chairperson, SOPHEN

Mr. Suman Prasad Sharma

Chairperson, WAFON

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Dr. Roshan Raj Shrestha

Global WASH Leader – Board of trustees Member (Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand)

Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi

Secretary General – United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG-ASPAC)

Prof. Dinesh Mehta

Senior Advisor, CWAS – CEPT University, India

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Najib Bateganya

Deputy Director, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, Gates Foundation

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Dr. Khairul Islam

Regional Director – South Asia, WaterAid UK

STEERING COMMITTEE

Ms. Meena Shrestha

Joint Secretary – Ministry of Water Supply, Nepal

Dr. Sanjeev Bickram Rana

WASH Expert, WAFON Nepal

Mr. Suman Dhun Shrestha

Conference Lead

Aniessa Delima Sari

Strategic Services and Programme Manager, UCLG ASPAC, Indonesia

Isha Bashyal

GWSC – AIT, Thailand

Sudarshan Neupane

Country Director – WaterAid Nepal

Mr. Hezekiah Otieno Pireh

Water and Sanitation Team Lead – United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Headquarters, Nairobi

PROGRAM COMMITTEE (INTERNATIONAL)

Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmed

BUET, Bangladesh/ Thailand

Sudha Shrestha

National Program Officer WASH – UN Habitat Nepal

S.M Tariqul Islam

Griffith University, Australia

Gyanendra Gongol

World Health Organization SEARO SouthEast Asia Regional Office

Bethlehem Mengistu Betre

Executive Director of Agenda for Change

Dr. Shirish Singh

Senior Lecturer – IHE Delft, Netherlands

Dr. Prajal Pradhan

Assistant Professor – University of Groningen, Netherlands

Prof. Harinaivo Andrianisa

GSGS RH WCIOA Director, Institut 2iE, Burkina Faso

PROGRAM COMMITTEE (NATIONAL)

Dr. Sudan Raj Panthi

NPO, Environmental Health, WHO Nepal

Dr. Rajit Ojha

Senior Divisional Engineer, DWSSM – Govt. of Nepal

Mr. Rajendra Shrestha

Program Director, ENPHO

Kamala KC

Social Sector Advisor, British Embassy Kathmandu

Ms. Nadira Khawaja

WASH Sector Leader, SNV

Mr. Yogendra Chitrakar

General Secretary, SOPHEN
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Mr. Rajesh Manandhar

Water and Sanitation Coordinator, UN HABITAT

Mr. Dandiram Bishwokarma

WASH Specialist, UNICEF

Dr. Chiranjibi Bhattarai

Executive Member, WAFON

Seema Rajouria

Head of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns – WaterAid Nepal

Key Message

We are delighted to welcome you to the Global South Conference on WASH Financing & Sustainability 2026, to be held on April 1–3, 2026, in Kathmandu, Nepal, under the theme “Financing the Future for Innovation, Climate Resiliency, and Equity.”

Across the Global South, millions still lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services. While progress has been made, the financing gap estimated at $140 billion annually remains a major barrier. At the same time, limited institutional capacity meaning a significant share of available resources going unspent. These challenges threaten not only the sustainability of WASH systems but also achieving the broader goals of equity, climate resilience, and inclusive development.

This conference is a response to such urgent call. It brings together leaders from governments, funding agencies, the private sector, academia, and civil society to design practical and innovative financing pathways. Over three days, participants will share lessons, explore solutions, and forge partnerships that can unlock the investment needs to scale up sustainable WASH services across the Global South. Together, we can accelerate progress toward universal WASH access and ensure that systems are built to last, even at the face of climate and economic challenges.

On behalf of organizing committee working in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Water Supply (MoWS) we warmly invite you to join us in Kathmandu. With your participation and commitment, this conference will serve as a milestone in reshaping how WASH financing drives to build resilience, equity, and lasting impact for generations to come.

– CONVENORS