Attachments
Fulfilling every child's right to water,
sanitation and hygiene education remains a major challenge for policymakers,
school administrators and communities in many countries. In a group of
surveyed developing countries, less than half of primary schools have access
to safe water and just over a third have adequate sanitation. Lack of coverage
data for WASH in Schools is one barrier to securing the rights of children.
Of the 60 developing countries surveyed, only 33 provided data on access
to water in primary schools and 25 have data on sanitation.
Great strides have been made, nonetheless,
to safeguard the well-being of children in schools. Millions of schoolchildren
now have access to drinking water, sanitation facilities and hygiene education.
And the experience gained over the past decade can be well applied to sustaining
WASH in Schools programmes that improve health, foster learning and enable
children to participate as agents of change for their siblings, their parents
and the community at large. As citizens, parents, policymakers and government
representatives, we all have a role in making sure that every child receives
the benefits of WASH in Schools:
- Clean water for drinking and washing.
- Dignity and safety through ample
toilets and washstands, separated for girls and boys.
- Education for good hygiene.
- Healthy school environments through
safe waste disposal