Dear Chaiwe, 
Thank you for your feedback. 

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund recognizes that massive inequalities exist between those who have access to sanitation, hygiene and MHH and those who do not – with marginalized and vulnerable populations, including women and girls, disproportionally affected. The Fund will invest in reducing inequalities by specifically targeting those countries with the highest burden, yet who are least able to respond. Within countries, the Fund will encourage programmes and interventions, including at policy level, that invest in harder to reach and left behind populations.

Sure, the objectives of the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund are underpinned by the following enablers;

• Strong partnerships in collaboration with key partner organizations and influential individuals, including private sector;
• Multi-stakeholder processes, incorporating voices of key populations, in the planning, development and implementation of programmes;
• Harnessing societal engagement and securing political commitment for improved sanitation and hygiene, and menstrual health and hygiene;
• Ensuring country-level oversight and accountability is integrated into national systems;
• Monitoring and evaluation of all funded programmes, with evidence and data to strengthen investment effectiveness, sustainability, value for money and course correction; and
• Resource mobilization.

Dear Mbirungi,

Thank you for sharing this information and the link. I especially like how the fund is specifically targetting the Menstrual Health Crises alongside Sanitation and Hygiene.  In the past, we have seen interventions around MHM and MHH fall under the WASH umbrella. Somewhat, this has slowed progress on the subject. 

Looking forward to this information reaching far and wide within the sector.

Chaiwe

Hi Chaiwe, 
Thank you so much for your contribution to expand the discussion about the need for more investments in Water, sanitation and hygiene not just for the COVID-19 epidemic, but also to mitigate the impact of future epidemics. The good news is that there is a new realisation dawning now, creating the urgency to invest in WASH. 
For example the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council - WSSCC is evolving into the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund to invest in country led programmes to accelerate progress and sustainable impact.

Read more:  www.shfund.org/

Dear Machrine,

This is a good move. It goes without saying that the COVID pandemic has indeed further echoed the need for African governments to prioritize sanitation interventions. The interventions in most African countries have been swift In light of the COVID pandemic. With many diverting resources to the COVID response with respect to the provision of water and soap to vulnerable populations,  especially within densely populated areas.  For this reason, it is definitely the right time to push for governments' prioritisation of funding to the sector, turning response based strategies to preparedness and human rights-based strategies.

See a similar response here on the need for increased funding to the WASH sector:  forum.susana.org/inclusive-programming-a...ygiene-for-all#30080

Regards,
Chaiwe

Dear SuSanA colleagues, 
I recently read an interview the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council Field communications correspondent in Madagascar had with head of the sanitation program in Madagascar known as "Fonds d'Appui pour l'Assainissement (FAA).

A doctor by training and public health specuialist by proffesion, Dr Fanomeza spoke extensively with Hoby Randrianimanana about the sanitation interventions in Madagascar in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic and how the country with support of WSSCC's Global Sanitation Fund is pressing for sanitation and hygiene as a priority. 

Three Key statements caught my attention. 

Insufficient funding for sanitation and hygiene has left alarmingly large numbers of people exposed to a range of health threats – not only deadly infectious diseases such as COVID-19, but also maternal and neonatal death, malnutrition and poor access to safe menstrual hygiene.
Despite that, we have managed to achieve some progress, particularly in rural areas where we have seen remarkable behaviour change, both at the community and household level.

Also 

Discovering innovations emerging from the communities is another highlight that has moved me. Innovations contribute to strengthening our activities– triggering and follow-up – and improving the quality of our products such as fly-proof latrines and handwashing stations. 

And 

We should also reinforce existing WASH programs, and everyone – public, private and civil society –should contribute to them. We have learned that our healthcare system is fragile, so we need to reform and update it in order to ensure a better response capacity if ever we face another pandemic.

Read the full interview here 


Machrine Birungi
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council