WaterAid

WaterAid operates in 35 countries globally, working to expand access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services for the poorest and most marginalised populations. We focus on delivering inclusive and equitable services. We work with governments to ensure these services are sustained over time by a strong water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector and resilient local systems at district or municipality level for access lasts and reaches everyone

Globally, in 2018-19, we supported communities to reach 385,000 people with clean water, 453,000 people with decent toilets and 1,503,000 people with good hygiene Our work on healthcare facilities supported 1,238,000 patient visits and staff with clean water; 1,080,000 with decent toilets 991,000 with good hygiene.

WaterAid’s global advocacy priority ‘Healthy Start’, aims to improve the health and nutrition of newborns and children under five by advocating for WASH to be integrated into health and nutrition. Through Heathy Start, in 2019, 21 WaterAid country teams have engaged in advocacy on WASH in Healthcare Facilities or on WASH-Nutrition integration.  In 10 countries, political decision makers were either made aware of the need for change or made a specific commitment to change in relation to WASH-Health integration. 

In support of the updated Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health (2016-2030), WaterAid will:

1. Deliver water and sanitation services and promote good hygiene practices through our government and NGO partners to poor communities in 40 countries by 2020.
2. Advocate for increased investment in and pro-poor targeting of water and sanitation services, with an explicit focus on sustainable, equitable and inclusive solutions aimed at reaching universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2030.
3. Collaborate with health agencies and governments to ensure the implementation and monitoring of WHO’s global essential environmental health standards in healthcare facilities, and support Infection Prevention and Control efforts.
4. Work at all levels to link efforts to achieve water and health goals and targets defined under the sustainable development agenda, in terms of coordination, policy, programme delivery and monitoring.
5. Work at global, regional, national and sub-national levels to ensure the inclusion of WASH aspects in plans for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, and in global and national frameworks and plans for delivering and monitoring Universal Health Coverage, including a four-year strategic advocacy focus on child health (‘Healthy Start’).
6. Engage in global and national nutrition coordination processes to ensure the targeting of WASH interventions to countries and areas with a high burden of undernutrition, and advocate for increased donor and national government investments in nutrition sensitive interventions.
7. Engage in global and national nutrition coordination processes to ensure the targeting of WASH interventions to countries and areas with a high burden of neglected tropical diseases.
8. Engage in global and national advocacy on menstrual hygiene and its management including supporting formative research and developing local, appropriate solutions for women and girls in households, schools, health facilities and public spaces in collaboration with health agencies, particularly those focussed on sexual and reproductive health and rights.