Scaling up improved sanitation - Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)

Investments in sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health are of key importance for the achievement of the SDGs. The primary sector is sanitation and hygiene (SDG 6.2) with strong inputs to health, nutrition, education, gender equity, economic growth and climate resilience. Safe, secure and sustainably managed sanitation, handwashing and menstrual hygiene facilities keep children, particularly girls, in school, people in jobs, and communities- and economies – healthy and thriving. 

Donor support for investments in sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health often followed a classical programm logic which - as many evaluations show – have often not realised the sustainibility originally planned. The multi-donor UN Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) operates in a new, catalytical and sustainable way. 

SHF key outcomes include:

• accelerated service delivery to households (7.7m people), schools (0.5m people) and health care facilities (5.7m people);
• innovation towards safely managed sanitation, hygiene and Menstrual Health with approx.. 295 business and increased investment and a robust project pipeline (reaching 2.2m people);
• robust sector systems and investor confidence;
• national data platforms.

Resultados previstos:  

• Transparency and alignment of country led priorities that is inclusive
• Bankable projects matched to new investors
• Finance, budget and systems reforms prioritized in at least 6 countries
• Strengthened national data systems in at least 6 countries

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

SDC supported in phase 2 the predecessor organization of SHF, the multi-donor Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and in phase 3 (a bridging phase, May 2021 to August 2022) its transformation to the SHF with a new structure and operating model. WSSCC enabled 12.5m people living in open defecation free environments, 9m people having access to an improved sanitation facility, and 14m people having access to a handwashing facility. The SHF bridging funding contributed to the:

• operationalization and staffing within UNOPS;
• setting up of the SHF governance Board;
• preparation of a well targeted Strategy 2022- 2025, catalytic funding model, cost benefit analysis and results framework; and
• the establishment and operationalization of processes, structures, procedures and systems for accountable management and operations and an approved country fund portfolio (6 countries in Africa).