A/HRC/12/24 page 27 rights obligations related to sanitation. They should also empower local authorities and communities to comply with human rights obligations related to sanitation. (f) International organizations: • United Nations agencies, funds and programmes as well as international financial institutions should prioritize interventions on sanitation and put the human rights obligations related to sanitation at the centre of their projects • At the national level, United Nations country teams should support governments in the preparation of national sanitation action plans, the revision of legislation, and other activities aimed at the fulfilment of their human rights obligations related to sanitation (g) Private sector: • The private sector, including members of the CEO Water Mandate of the United Nations Global Compact, should respect and support the realization of human rights related to sanitation (h) Non-discrimination and gender equality: • Legislation, policies, plans and programmes should aim to eliminate inequalities based on wealth, sex and location as well as other grounds. Measures to enhance access to sanitation must give particular attention to disadvantaged groups and individuals, such as the poor, as well as those living in remote areas and urban informal settlements, irrespective of their tenure status. Targeted measures should be taken to ensure affordability of sanitation services. • States and non-State actors should adopt a gender-sensitive approach to all relevant policymaking given the special sanitation needs of women and the key role they often play in managing sanitation and hygiene in communities. • States are encouraged to recognize the crucial role of sanitation workers and to take measures to raise the profile of their work and ensure their occupational health, safety and dignity. (i) Awareness-raising and community mobilization: • Large-scale public awareness campaigns should be organized both at the national as well as at the international level, aimed at promoting behavioural change regarding sanitation and to provide information, in particular on hygiene promotion. The independent expert believes that it is high time for vigorous and sustained efforts to tackle the persisting taboos around sanitation and personal hygiene