Issues in Planning and Implementation

Policy level

One of the most important requirements in SSHE is political support at all levels. Among the various stakeholders the policymakers clearly have a crucial role in inspiring interest and providing the base for successful implementation of SSHE programmes. Without political will small-scale experiences remain small and achievements cannot be sustained and expanded.

Generally SSHE programmes are popular with politicians because they can show concrete results in communities and are therefore usually popular with constituents. Nevertheless, the literature regarding policies reveals that many countries, specifically in Asia, do not yet mention schools or teachers in their WES programme objectives. 'Community Water Supply and Sanitation in South-East Asia Region', for example, reviewed achievement and prospective policies for the 1990s among ten nations in Asia including India. Only two countries (Bhutan and Nepal) mentioned the theme of schools and teachers (WHO, 1993). A summary of some of the lessons learned regarding SSHE at the policy level has been compiled in the following table.

Table 5: Key lessons for policy makers

Some of the issues for policymakers in SSHE include:

• Political support and commitment
• SSHE should be demand-based (not free). Communities must contribute and participate.
• SSHE should be more than construction and coverage. The impact of the programme comes through sustaining the facilities, using them as intended, developing healthy behaviours. Thus, SSHE is basically an education programme with some construction. This point needs to be accepted - and supported - by state and local government, by WES and education personnel, by the public at large. In successful programmes, people agree that SSHE is more than construction and includes hygiene education, continued maintenance, development of new behaviours, and links with community. The politician and policymaker have a crucial role in advocating this.

• Co-ordination and commitment Policymakers should stimulate co-ordinated approaches and commitment among different departments and specialisations. At the same time implementation must be co-ordinated. Both safe water and sanitation facilities are needed. Construction must be controlled so that it is timed correctly with training and community mobilisation. The policy maker can stimulate implementers to follow these guidelines.

• Clearing financial blockages between institutions Policymakers and managers should clear away blockages. This could be needed, for example, in the case where financing is complex because it comes from different sources

• Setting up minimum objectives, coverage and standards Policymakers should help set the minimum objectives, coverage and standards. Flexibility is needed. Experience has shown that one uniform construction plan and model cannot be relevant in all situations. The design and the decisions about who constructs depends on the situation. Small schools in active communities may wish to have all construction done locally. Larger schools might want to identify their own designs.