Experts from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries will begin a five-day dialogue in Colombo of Sri Lanka today to address sanitation challenges of the region needed to achieve UN declared Millennium Development Goals.

Official sources said the 4th biennial South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN IV), themed "Sanitation Enhances Quality of Life", will be attended by around 500 experts and delegates who will also discuss methods to improve sanitation.

According to latest statistics of SACOSAN IV, 2.6 billion people around the world live without proper sanitation, of which, 800 million are in South Asia. India has the lowest sanitation coverage with31percent.

Saarc representatives will also review progress of commitments made in the last conference in New Delhi in2008.

SACOSAN IV will focus on safe disposal of human waste and identify specific objectives for member countries to accelerate progress of provision of sanitation services, enhancing people's quality of life.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) deemed that the absence of hygienic behaviour and lack of access to safe sanitation facilities and services are major causes of diseases worldwide.