WASH SDG

Project: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, 2017 — 2024

Sustainably improve access to, and use of, safe drinking water for at least 450,000 people, sanitation for at least 2 million people and improve the hygiene behaviours of 1.6 million people.

Esther from Uganda

About the Netherlands Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sustainable Development Goal (WASH SDG) programme

The programme responds to the Dutch government commitment to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6; reaching an improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) situation for all by 2030. We are proud to be in the lead of this important programme. The human right to water and sanitation is recognised in each of the WASH SDG programme countries and yet the realisation of that right remains unmet. The Consortium deliberatively focuses at sub-national (district) level because this is where we can add most value. The WASH SDG programme aims to reach an improved WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) situation for all. 

Fact:

More than 2 billion people live without access to safe water and 3.6 billion people live without safely managed sanitation. That’s nearly half of the world population

3 out of 5 people lack basis handwashing facilities with soap and water at home

3 billion people lack basic hygiene services, including soap and water at home

Head teacher, Mukasa Flourish, of Ajali-Anyena primary school in Uganda: “After the cost recovery plan (CRP) training, we were able to raise funds to empty our latrine. We were also able to connect piped water into the school.”

Impact of the programme

The WASH SDG programme, works across 73 sub-national locations in seven countries with a total population of more than 9.5 million people. The programme is currently organised across 14 sub-programmes, three of which under the direct leadership of Simavi. The WASH SDG programme is built on three key objectives:

  1. Increased demand for improved WASH facilities and practices through improved behaviour change interventions;
  2. Improved quality of service provision leading to increased availability and affordability of WASH products and services which contributes to sustainable and equitable access to WASH;
  3. Strengthened WASH governance and institutional framework in the sector, leading to governments enabling efficient and effective delivery of inclusive and sustainable WASH services which contributes to sustainable and equitable access to WASH.

Within these objectives we focus specifically on gender equality and social inclusion as well as climate vulnerability and resilience. You can read more about the baseline assessment on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) this factsheet

Despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a global overview of consolidated mid-term data shows that good progress has been made to date (2021). The clear link between WASH and Covid-19 prevention were also favourable to advance in some key result areas of the programme, particularly as can be seen from the high increase in people accessing basic hygiene.

    Contributing to sustainable development goal (SDG):

    • SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation - Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

    WASH SDG Programme - Approach

    The common ambition of the consortium is to put sustainable, resilient and inclusive WASH service delivery on the local, national and international agenda of a broad range of stakeholders, including government institutions, WASH service providers, development agencies, community-based organisations and private sector actors.

    We work on establishing a system wherein all stakeholders take up their roles and responsibilities. Through coaching, strengthening activities and advocacy, and by promoting change in behaviour and norms regarding WASH and gender equality, we will contribute to an enabling environment wherein the system can succeed, last and accelerate. We aim for a WASH service delivery system that eventually is funded through in-country resources.

    Furthermore, through supporting innovative planning and operational practices, we aim to contribute to climate resilience of WASH services and a water-secure and healthy landscape. We work on improving the WASH situation for all. This includes the hard-to-reach households; the poorest of the poor and those living in remote or slum areas and without any discrimination. We will also ensure that facilities and services are sustainable, gender sensitive and socially inclusive.
    Please read more about some of the country focused interventions from the WASH Alliance partners on the WASH Alliance website.

    Consortium budget: €59,000,000, Simavi budget: €26,172,000, Duration: 5 years, LocationBangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, Role Simavi: Consortium lead

    Partners

    The programme consortium consists of the Dutch partners of the WASH Alliance International (WAI), SNV, and Plan International Netherlands – led by Simavi. And, we work with many in-country partners as listed below.

    Curious to find out what we achieved in 2022 with WASH SDG programme? Watch the video.

    Do you want to know more about our programmes? Our programme team is happy to support!

    Paula Lopera
    Paula Lopera
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    Esther Oeganda

    Everbody has the human right to safe water and sanitation.

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