Dutch policy on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene - collectively termed as WASH - has changed drastically over the last ten years. For decades, WASH interventions consisted of so-called direct interventions: installing drinking water connections, building toilets, and distributing menstrual products. In 2012, IOB concluded that, in this way, the Netherlands had reached many people, but only in the short term. A lack of maintenance and ownership resulted in low sustainability.

Motivation for research

A new approach was needed, focusing on the "entire system", where - next to infrastructure - efforts are directed toward governance, roles and responsibilities, policy change, integrated water management and finance, to improve ownership and maintenance. This evaluation assesses whether Dutch WASH policy has contributed to system change, with functioning WASH systems for sustainable access to WASH services, including for most vulnerable groups.

Main question

How and to what extent has the Netherlands contributed to sustainable access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, notably for marginalised groups, in Ethiopia, Kenya and the Sahel region?

Researchers

Process

This research is in step 3, "Research in progress". The other steps are: 1. Exploration, 2. ToR adopted, 4. Report adopted, 5. Drafting policy response, and 6. Report to parliament.
  1. Water kiosk with water tank on roof and jerry cans in front of kiosk. Daily opening hours depicted on building.
    Water kiosk Kenya
    Image: © IOB
  2. Wooden toilet cabin with corrugated iron roof. A bottle of water is placed at the entrance.
    Household toilet. Built as part of the project intervention.
    Image: © IOB
  3. Series of bags and pipes belonging to a cooking gas filter system.
    Filtering system for extracting cooking gas for use in school kitchen.
    Image: © IOB