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Published on: 02/08/2011

Increase national and international investments in WASH in Schools and engage those who set policies are two of the key messages emerging from recent debates organised by IRC, UNICEF and WASH in Schools partners in Europe in April and May 2011.

IRC and UNICEF organised a web-based debate on four topics around what we can do to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools in the developing world. Right now less than half of all primary schools have access to safe water and just over a third have adequate sanitation in countries where data are available. Outcomes of this discussion was fed into a European Call for Action on WASH in Schools that IRC organised  on 24 and 25 May in The Hague, The Netherlands. The international Call to Action for WASH in Schools campaign was launched in 2010 by the WASH in Schools Partnership calling on decision-makers to increase investments and on concerned stakeholders to plan and act in cooperation, so that all children go to a school with child-friendly water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

This meeting brought together WASH in Schools advocates from various organisations (largely, but not exclusively) based in Europe (ministries, UN agencies, academia, foundations, and non-governmental organisations) with the aim to encourage development partners to work on strategies to follow up the Call to Action for WASH in Schools. 

Over the course of two days donors, NGOs, consultancy firms and UN agencies discussed (1) key challenges and recommendations regarding the WASH in School six key points of action, and (2) developed action plans for three Task Groups: Advocacy, Mapping and Information Management.

Six key messages

Among the various recommendations that emerged from discussions around the six key points for action, the following issues prompt further action by the Partnership itself:

-        Key Message 1 – Increased Investment in WASH in Schools

Further national and international political commitment and enforce accountability. This entails political commitment that can be monitored through international monitoring reports such as GLAAS and JMP and other upcoming relevant documentation.

-        Key Message 2: Engage those who set policies

Continue to advocate recognition in key documents such as the Hashimoto action plan 2 which stresses the importance of WASH in schools.

 -        Key Message 3: Involve Multiple Stakeholders

Explore the involvement of and collaboration with other initiatives such as the Global Handwashing Day, WASH United, Sanitation and Water for All, the UNSGAB new five-year year drive on sanitation http://www.unsgab.org/HAP-II/HAP-II_en.pdf and others.

 -        Key Message 4: Demonstrate Quality WASH in Schools projects

Encourage the focus on simple, sustainable, scalable WASH in Schools projects.

-        Key Message 5: Monitoring WASH in Schools Programmes

Continue to develop WASH in Schools monitoring packages at international and national level that encourage monitoring WASH in Schools programmes.

-        Key Message 6: Contribute Evidence

Reflect critically on the type of research methodology and tools that are used for gathering data, and explore the use of alternative methodologies.

Agreed action points

Three tasks groups were formed that agreed on various follow up actions:

Global Advocacy

The group developed and agreed on the outcomes, activities and focal points for global advocacy. For each of the five outcomes policy recommendation briefs will be developed. The Raising Clean Hands advocacy booklet will be updated.

Resource Mapping

By the end of 2011, the information gathered through the mapping survey of ARC will available online. The information will be indexed by country and will reflect on challenges and failures.

The Community of Practice

IRC and UN-Habitat will develop a concept note addressing the objectives, potential content, functionality and type of moderation required for maintaining an online WinS Community of Practice, including the funding requirements and the identification of sources to sustain the funding in the long term.

Read the debate on whether or not we have failed on WASH in Schools at

http://www.createdebate.com/debate/show/We_have_failed_on_WASH_in_Schools

Marielle Snel and Dick de Jong

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