By Dr. Tanvi Nagpal

The WASH sector is warily optimistic: much of the world’s urban population now has access to some improved source of water, and rural accessibility is steadily improving. Even sanitation is finally receiving much-deserved attention from governments and donors.

Yet, it’s clear that as more people move from rural to urban areas, meeting the goal of universal access to safe water and sanitation will hinge on sustainably satisfying the needs of small and large towns and cities. Yes, in the aggregate, urban poverty rates are generally lower than rural poverty rates and urban populations already have better access to services, but there are gaping asymmetries in access within and between urban areas.

In large cities, slum populations with little to no services continue to grow at alarming rates leading to an actual decline in the total percentage of urban population with access to services. Even less is known or done about small and medium size towns, which will see the largest growth in population in coming decades. These urban settlements are home to large numbers of poor people but services and infrastructure here are only a little bit better than in neighboring villages.

According to a new report by the World Bank, aggregate poverty rates between rural and urban India are beginning to converge, with the rates being highest in small towns with populations less than 50,000. In Africa, on the other hand, urban poverty remains concentrated in and around the main, often capital, city where slums dot the landscape. The solutions to service delivery challenges begin in the political sphere with the recognition that people from rural areas will continue to move in search of livelihood opportunities.  In order for them to be productive they need access to basic services including water, sanitation and transport.

Identity cards, land titling, housing subsidies are all part of the recognition that the urban poor are equal citizens who are unlikely to return to rural areas permanently. Investing in services in smaller towns on the outskirts of villages can also lead to productivity gains for the rural economy, and connectivity with the city actually prevents the formation of large slums as people prefer to remain close to the village with easy connections to the city. But investing in small and medium cities or providing land titles to slum dwellers requires strong and visionary political leaders. In China, Colombia and Mexico it is mayors and governors who are at the forefront of policy and process innovation, creating links with the private sector to deliver both infrastructure and services, investing in appropriate technology and creating urban spaces that attract investors, who in turn, create employment opportunities.

Perhaps it is time for the WASH sector to understand how these local leaders—bureaucrats, politicians and civil society activists—are changing institutional incentives and help them in their efforts to deliver services to the populations they serve.

Tanvi Nagpal has over fifteen years of experience in international development policy research and program management. She has applied her academic training in political economy to a wide range of development issues, focusing on the role that urban communities play in managing resources, providing services and influencing government policy.  

On June 7, 2013, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, USAID’s Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and representatives from faith and community organizations participated in a national conference call to talk about USAID’s new Water and Development Strategy and how faith and community groups are responding to these complex humanitarian issues. I was honored to be a part of the call representing WASH Advocates.

The Strategy has much to offer the faith community. Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Melissa Rogers reminded us of this fact. Her colleagues Mark Brinkmoeller and Chris Holmes at USAID are working diligently to see that the faith community is tied into all opportunities that USAID has to offer. In addition, I was especially honored to share the dais with Jena Lee Nardella of Blood: Water Mission whose story is compelling and demonstrates a real change for people in the developing world.

The ultimate question is: what does the Strategy have to offer the faith community? The simple answer is that the Strategy opens up a series of new opportunities. Each one is designed to build on sustainable practices and new models of funding that will bring better water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions into the field.

For example, on the call I noted the public-private alliance of Rotary International in Kenya with USAID. Through USAID, Rotary provided broad support to help an area of Kenya become more self-sufficient through an integrative water system that now provides Africa’s largest slum with necessary hygiene and water services.

In addition, USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) WASH for Life Partnership – an initiative to support DIV grantees improving water, sanitation, and hygiene in developing countries – announced seven new grantees:

• The Dispensers for Safe Water Program - A program by Innovations for Poverty Action is significantly improving households’ long-term adoption of treated water and keeps their water clean for up to 72 hours to prevent recontamination.
• RAND Corporation - RAND is testing how to make water filters more affordable to lower income groups through mobile payments in Kenya.
• Sanergy - Sanergy will provide hygienic sanitation to 70,000 residents in the slums of Kenya.
• IDEO.org - IDEO.org is using open-source mapping and mobile phones to provide community members with the tools and resources they need to raise support for improved sanitation in Ghana.
• WaterSHED - WaterSHED will test how the commercial introduction of a handwashing product (the “HappyTap”) in Vietnam can encourage consistent and proper hand-washing.
• Bear Valley Ventures Ltd. - Bear Valley Ventures Ltd. is developing and testing anti-microbial hand cleaning products for use by families in poor urban communities who use outside sanitation facilities and often have constrained access to water.
• KickStart International – KickStart’s “MoneyMaker” irrigation pumps are proven to move people out of poverty quickly, cost-effectively and sustainably. This grantee will now test different models of financing services to make their pumps even more accessible to farmers.

USAID’s emphasis on Monitoring and Evaluation for Resolution and Learning (MERL) is especially relevant for those working on sustainability. For the faith community, the Water and Development Strategy allows for a rethinking of USAID partnerships. I know that many faith leaders struggle with how to engage with government agencies. Now they have new guidance on practical ways to have an impact in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

At the end of the day, the story of Americans of faith making a real difference for those suffering the WASH crisis is one that needs to be told. We at WASH Advocates have been collecting these stories on our interactive map, “Americans Working for WASH.” Take a look, and let us know what is going on in your state.

Whether public or private, corporate or governmental, leaders of every stripe need to hear that WASH is a critical complement to so many important issues, and that the faith community is willing and able to meet this challenge. The Water and Development Strategy is a major step forward in the effort towards a solution, and the efforts of the White House to support it are to be commended.

To read a copy of the USAID Water Strategy, please click here. For additional resources and assistance, please click here.

Ben Mann serves as Global Partnerships Director for WASH Advocates, a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative that offers expert and neutral advice to funders and implementers in the water, sanitation, and hygiene space. Mr. Mann works with corporate, faith, civic, and private donors on a pro bono basis thanks to the support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Wallace Genetic Foundation, Osprey Foundation, and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. He can be reached at bmann@WASHadvocates.org

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by inadequate water, sanitation and, hygiene (WASH), and they shoulder the largest burden in collecting drinking water. When the needs of women and girls are not taken into account, the effects are felt far and wide, reaching across the education, health, security, and economic sectors.  On the other hand, improving WASH can have positive impacts throughout a girl’s life, and can even extend across generations. As we know, when women thrive, so do their communities.

The conference has attracted more than 4,000 people from almost 150 countries and is fostering rich discussion on the well-being of girls and women. The range of topics being addressed include violence against women, breaking taboos around menstruation, Neglected Tropical Diseases, women’s empowerment, and much more.

We are honored to feature many great stories from our partners who are making amazing progress in the fight to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide. We hope you will be inspired too.

Cecilia Snyder is Communications Director for WASH Advocates. Contact: csnyder@WASHAdvocates.org

This post is part of a series created in partnership by WASH Advocates and Women Deliver. For more information, please contact Cecilia Snyder csnyder@WASHadvocates.org.

NISHTHA means devotion or commitment in Bengali and is also the name of a small organization in West Bengal, India that was founded by women. NISHTHA has over 35 years of program experience in the areas of health and hygiene, women and girl empowerment, legal advocacy, water resource installation and maintenance, vocational support, and education for sustainable agriculture.

NISHTHA  works to empower women to fight for equal rights, equal opportunities and equal dignity, especially when it comes to water and sanitation. Globally, women take part in all water-related activities, yet they often do not have a role in any decision concerning water.

When the government brought piped water supply to our district, they decided to provide only household connections that poor families could not afford. NISHTHA intervened and organized water committees – comprised only of women.  These committees applied for group connections to provide water for their entire community. These water committees are still functioning and managing water effectively today. They have also implemented certain rules for using the tap water (see below) since the water supply is limited. These rules include attending water committee meetings, paying monthly water fees, and only using the water for household needs, not agriculture.

In our villages, rural sanitation is also a large concern because only 30% have access to a safe sanitation. Women suffer the worse without a latrine at home, resulting in accidents and molestation while defecating in darkness. To help solve this problem, NISHTHA provides loans to women groups to construct family latrines. To date, these women groups have already constructed 4,500 latrines.

NISHTHA is working relentlessly to eliminate gender discrimination. Women with proper empowerment will provide sustainable improvement of health, education and socio-economic conditions of village.

Chayya Naskar stays in a dilapidating hut with walls and roof covered by polythene sheets in the tiny village of Tripuranagar. Chayya’s parents arranged her marriage with due negotiation with her in-laws when she was only 16 years old. But when she gave birth to a female child, her husband left her and the little daughter and she was forced to live in a small and unhygienic hut. She felt herself in deep depression and frustration.

At this moment  our women’s group intervened and provided her training, a loan and counseling and it took quite a few months to bring back her self-confidence. Now she is a different Chayya Naskar. She is a vegetable vendor, and with her income from the business she is supporting herself and her daughter. She is now a proud and energized women, and her motto is to help and support other women.

Rules and Regulations of Water Committees

The Water Committees / Women’s Groups have formulated  rules and regulations and those are common to all.

1. Nobody is allowed to bathe on the tap water, cannot wash clothes or clean utensils, and cannot use water for after brushing teeth.
2. Nobody is allowed to water the kitchen gardens from tap water.
3. Every family has to deposit their subscription to the authorized person of the water committee strictly on the specified date.
4. All the members have to attend  the meetings of the committee.

NISHTHA was born in a very remote village of South 24 Parganas by a group of rural women who were victims of gender discrimination and had a mission of empowering the village women.  Mina Das has lead the organization for over 30 years, working to empower women and girls through gender equity initiatives, education and health promotion, as well as the organizations emphasis on self-sufficiency in efforts to bring clean water, safe handling and hygiene education to rural women in West Bengal.

Photo credit: NISHTHA

This post is part of a series created in partnership by WASH Advocates and Women Deliver. For more information, please contact Cecilia Snyder csnyder@WASHadvocates.org.

Now and since the dawn of time, girls and women have bled every month. Even though many accept it is as natural and normal process in human life, menstruation is still treated as the ultimate taboo in many cultures and societies.  If it is discussed, it is done so with shame, embarrassment and disgust. The inability to confront the natural process of menstruation pushes many girls and women to poorly manage their periods – sometimes with old rags, sticks or other unhygienic, ineffective materials.  As a result, they are ashamed, embarrassed and sometimes even ostracized from their families, friends and communities. Many girls drop out of school. Many more simply fall behind.

This has to stop.

WASH United, a social impact organization committed to fighting the sanitation and hygiene crisis with fun, innovative and educational initiatives aimed at creating long-term behavior change, has launched May MENSTRAVAGANZA.

A 28-day menstrual hygiene awareness campaign on social media, May MENSTRAVAGANZA aims to break the silence and help shatter the taboos surrounding menstruation by shedding light on different facets of the issue, including:

• Why is there such a taboo surrounding menstruation?
• What harsh realities must girls and women face every time they get their period? What are some rituals involved with menstruation?
• Who are the MEN getting involved with menstruation and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) awareness? What are they doing?
• How is MHM more than just a ‘health’ or ‘women’s’ issue?
• Where does it all go? Issues of disposal
• How do you it’s coming?

These issues and more will be brought up in the 28-day crusade to break the silence. Join WASH United in the ever-growing conversation about MHM on their May MENSTRAVAGANZA blog: http://wash-united-may-menstravaganza.tumblr.com

Or on Facebook and Twitter:
www.facebook.com/WASHUnited
www.twitter.com/WASHUnited
(hashtags #BreakTheSilence, #MENSTRAVAGANZA, #MHM, #periodtalk)

Contact hq@wash-united.org for more information.

This post is part of a series created in partnership by WASH Advocates and Women Deliver. For more information, please contact Cecilia Snyder  and Janna Oberdorf.

To remind ourselves why it is so vitally important to make improvements to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), all we need to do is take a look at what’s in the dirty water. Lurking in infested water sources are parasitic worms that cause diseases such as human hookworm and schistosomiasis. These infections spread easily in communities that don’t have access to clean water or sanitation facilities.

Hookworm, schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) infect more than 1 billion people around the world.

For women and children, NTDs are especially concerning. They are more likely to come into contact with NTDs while doing basic chores, like laundry or collecting water, bathing, or even just playing outside.

The effects of constant infection and re-infection can be devastating. For the estimated 40 million women of reproductive age infected with hookworm, the infection can cause serious health risks during pregnancy, including anemia. During childbirth, these women have a higher likelihood of experiencing complications and even death. Approximately 19 million girls and women are infected with a strain of schistosomiasis that makes them three to four times more likely to contract HIV.

That’s not all. Several NTDs can cause malnutrition and stunt a child’s physical growth throughout their childhood. They can also reduce a child’s ability to attend and perform well in school.

Luckily, the effects of these diseases can be controlled with simple medical interventions – most of which are donated by pharmaceutical companies; but, WASH improvements are what will make these treatment programs sustainable over the long term.

If we want to markedly improve maternal and child health and allow girls to learn and grow to their fullest potential, we must address NTDs. WASH improvements can help control and protect people from many NTDs. By combining these improvements with regular treatment programs, we can see the end of these diseases as early as the end of this decade.

On Earth Day, it is important to take action to protect our environment. It is equally important to realize that we share the same environment as those in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and around the world.

This is especially true for water resources. Although 70.9% of the water is covered by water, only three percent of that water is fresh water, and two-thirds of that is trapped in the glaciers. In the developing world, 783 million people lack access to an improved drinking water supply. Americans use 100 gallons of water per day, while residents in sub-Saharan Africa only use 2-5 gallons each day.

The same is true for sanitation – 2.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation. In the developing world, 90% of sewage is discharged into bodies of water, contributing to human disease and impacting marine life. “Dead zones” are caused by this discharge and agricultural runoff.

The poor and most vulnerable populations are most likely to be adversely affected by climate change and natural disasters, and lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) contributes to the losses caused by these emergency situations. Proper WASH can mitigate effects on both humans and the environment.

Today, on Earth Day, let’s protect our shared environment and work together to conserve our resources. Here are some easy ways to take action on Earth Day:

• Calculate your water footprint
• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving
• Take shorter showers
• When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing
• Flush the toilet only when necessary
• And many more…

• Monitoring the Finance Needed for Service Delivery
• Country-led and Country-wide Monitoring of Rural and Small Town Water Supplies
• Project Monitoring: A Vicious Cycle of Donor Accountability or a Necessary Stepping Stone to Better National WASH Sector Monitoring?
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for monitoring sustainable service delivery
• Monitoring for Sanitation and Hygiene
• Building Coherence in Global-Regional-National WASH Monitoring

One thing that made this conference so interesting was the government representation. The African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) met before and after the Symposium which provided an opportunity for high level officials from across Africa to discuss and try to address their country-specific monitoring issues and try to create some harmonization across the continent. In addition to their side meetings, ministry representatives were active participants.

Like any large conference, the Symposium provided so much great content that is was hard to take it all in. That said, there were a couple of themes that seemed to be reoccurring throughout the sessions as well as during the many side meetings and conversations throughout the week.

One theme that stood out is what I would call post-implementation monitoring. Others may refer to it as monitoring service delivery. What is the difference, you ask? Monitoring service delivery is ongoing just as the WASH service should be. Post-implementation monitoring usually refers to snapshot in time to make sure a project is functioning as intended. This may occur at 1, 3, 5, and/or 10 years after the initial hardware, training, or hygiene promotion was done.

Although as a sector our ultimate goal would be government run WASH services including monitoring, we have a ways to go. Therefore, post-implementation monitoring is a great solution until everyone in the WASH sector is focused on long-term service delivery for entire communities in lieu of project-based work.

Elynn Walter is the WASH in Schools Director for WASH Advocates.

The goal is ambitious but achievable: to end preventable childhood deaths due to pneumonia and diarrhea by 2025. At the launch today in Washington, DC, special emphasis was placed on the fact that the interventions exist to prevent and control these diseases, but coverage of these interventions is poor, especially in the most marginalized populations and the poorest of the poor. Scale-up and collaboration of all efforts surrounding pneumonia and diarrhea is necessary to reach this goal by 2025.

Samira Aboubaker of WHO noted, “The message is clear: we do not want a new plan. We want the existing plan to reflect the priorities of [all the sectors], epidemiology, birthing, etc. Therefore, it is an opportunity to look at the existing plan and identify the missing pieces. The water and sanitation group has to be part of our plan. Clearly we’ve seen we have to protect, prevent, and treat pneumonia and diarrhea, and that needs to be reflected in this plan.”

The GAPPD strategy seeks to establish good health practice from birth, preventing children from becoming ill from pneumonia and diarrhea, and treating children who are ill from pneumonia and diarrhea with appropriate treatment. Promoting handwashing and improving water supply, sanitation, and hygiene are among the interventions that have been proven to be effective in fighting these killers of young children, in addition to exclusive breastfeeding, vaccines, disease case management, oral rehydration salts, demand creation activities for behavior change, and reduction of household air pollution.

The key messages of GAPPD are:

1. Working together, we can end preventable deaths of young children around the world from two of the leading child killers, pneumonia and diarrhea.
2. The integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhea (GAPPD) from WHO and UNICEF goes to the heart of the challenge: recognizing that prevention and control of pneumonia and diarrhea cannot be adequately dealt with separately but only through integrated programs.
3. Without these urgent accelerated and coordinated efforts, each year more than two million of the world’s most vulnerable children will continue to die from these two diseases. We must close this equity gap.
4. Successfully reducing pneumonia and diarrhea deaths requires engagement by a wide range of actors and sectors, and first and foremost, it requires national political will.
5. These diseases must be addressed if we are to move the needle significantly in achieving the Millennium Development Goal to save the lives of children under the age of five (MDG4), as well as successful implementation of the UN Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, and the Promise Renewed commitment to child survival.

We at WASH Advocates have signed on to the Statement of Support for the GAPPD and are excited to participate in the collaboration of existing programs and interventions to produce synergies and efficiencies and end preventable child deaths from pneumonia and diarrhea.

Jordan Teague is a Research Assistant at WASH Advocates