Collaborative effort to address the global sanitation and hygiene challenge

Project completed

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) is an organisation committed to address the sanitation and hygiene challenge. The SDC will go further at the global level with a strong knowledge exchange, advocacy and communication on these issues. Through the Global Sanitation Fund – the Council’s operational arm – at least 20 most sanitation needy countries will be supported in implementing their national sanitation plans and strategies benefiting millions of poor people in the next 5 years.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Water
Drinking water and basic sanitation (WASH) (til 2016)
Water sector policy
01.01.2016 - 31.12.2017
CHF  8’000’000
Area of responsibility

WSSCC is the only organisation that adresses specifically the sanitation and hygiene challenges of vulnerable populations in the most needy countries. Its Global Sanitation Fund is the only global financing mechanism for sanitation. Itis therefore well positioned to implement the SDG number 6.2 about sanitation and hygiene. Its secretariat is hosted by UNOPS in Geneva.

Switzerland's and the organisation's strategic priorities and their coherence

Switzerland, SDC and its Global Programme Water Initiatives are strongly engaged on WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. The WSSCC Council focuses on countries with the largest gap on reaching international targets (using the SDGs) as well as its strategy to work with the most in need and most vulnerable within these is a further match with the Swiss focus.

Results of the organisation's previous engagement

In the period from 2012 to mid-2015 the WSSCC has contributed to achieving the following aggregated results from thirteen intervention countries:

  • 8.21 million people with improved toilets,
  • 9.92 million people living in open defecation free environments,
  • 13.46 million people with handwashing facilities.
Results of Switzerland's engagement in previous phase

In previous support phases Switzerland contributed to: 

  • Establishment of a result-based management system of the WSSCC and Global Sanitation Fund (GSF)
  • Collaboration with the WSSCC for a specific water goal in the 2030 Agenda.
Medium-term outcome of organisation's current engagement

Access and Use: Tens of millions of previously unserved people in 10-25 sanitation-needy countries gain access to and sustainably use improved sanitation and adopt good hygiene practices,

Equality and non-discrimination: Among those who gain access, poor and marginalised groups are identified and preferentially supported.

Effect in Switzerland

Contribute to the WSSCC’s excellent work on menstrual hygiene management and bring it to the attention of the Health and Education sector in the SDC and internationally,

Further, the WSSCC is reaching out to the private sector at local level (e.g to small and medium sized enterprises as service providers for people that want improved toilets), and in particularly at global level (e.g. by establishing contacts through the Global Compact).

 

Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Other UN Organisation


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    8’000’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    8’000’000
Switzerland's ranking in the DonorOrder

Second rank (after the Netherlands)

Donors

The Netherlands (DGIS), Sweden (SIDA), Norway (NORAD), Finland, Australia (AusAid). Other donors are in discussion.

In addition to the “traditional” donors the Council's secretariat of WSSCC is in close contact with private foundations and social impact investors.

Coordination with other projects and actors

All donors are invited to the biannual Steering Committee Meetings (May and November). In the May SC-Meeting a Donor Accountability Meeting is organised where donors exchange among themselves and with the secretariat. Additionally, most other donor representatives participate in the same conferences and meetings as SDC, e.g. the World Water Week in Stockholm and the Partnership Meetings of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA).

Project phases Phase 4 01.01.2023 - 31.12.2026   (Current phase) Phase 3 01.05.2021 - 28.02.2023   (Completed) Phase 2 01.01.2018 - 31.12.2021   (Completed)

Phase 1 01.01.2016 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)