25 March 2013
GSF Report Highlights Sanitation and Hygiene Progress in Africa, Asia
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The UN-based Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) has published the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF) Progress Report 2012, which describes programmatic results and reports on methods and data from programmes in Africa and Asia.

22 March 2013: The UN-based Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) has published the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF) Progress Report 2012, which describes programmatic results and reports on methods and data from programmes in Africa and Asia.

The report highlights sanitation and hygiene awareness raising activities in ten countries, resulting in: 3.8 million people educated on the importance of hygiene, as part of the GSF’s campaign to change attitudes and influence policy on sanitation; and 1.4 million people with improved toilets, the GSF indicator for improved sanitation.

The report highlights achievements in Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. The programmes focus on, inter alia: changing sanitation and hygiene behavior; sanitation and hygiene policy making; training and capacity building at government and community levels; and monitoring and evaluation. In Cambodia, 57,500 people have improved toilet access. In Nepal, 441 communities declared themselves open defecation free, which the report attributes to the training of 300 “Master Triggers,” who train other communities to address sanitation triggers. In Uganda, the Government identified the sanitation sector as falling behind on national targets but lacked financing to implement policies.

The GSF provided financing for sanitation and hygiene activities, resulting in 508,087 people with improved toilets in December 2012, compared to 154,000 in mid-2012. The report includes a “People and Places” chapter that shares voices of individuals who have been positively impacted through GSF activities.

As a sanitation financing mechanism, the GSF uses flow of finances as one indicator of implementation. Among its financial highlights, the report notes: increased country programme financing, from US$48.9 million to US$65 million; additional US$39 million financing to start programmes in Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Pakistan and Togo in 2013; and US$146.9 million in commitments. Noting demand for GSF support in areas with high sanitation needs, the report identifies an additional 35 priority countries and projects US$120 million in additional financing will be needed.

WSSCC established the GSF, as a UN Trust Fund, in 2008 to finance sanitation efforts in high-need countries. The GSF aims to improve toilets for 16.3 million people over five years and to contribute to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target on increased sanitation. Several agencies, including the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), contribute to GSF programmes as in-country partners. [WSSCC Press Release] [Publication: GSF Progress Report 2012]

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