#ms05: Sanitation

Access to safe sanitation is a human right. It is also a prerequisite for fighting hunger and poverty. Ensuring the use of at least basic sanitation services is essential for combating waterborne diseases – a root cause of malnutrition. There is clear evidence that improvements in WASH service levels result in additional health gains. The sanitation indicator is useful to assess whether the right to sanitation is being met and how successful related interventions have been.

The #ms Sanitation indicator assesses the number of households using at least basic sanitation services. It comprises households that have access to and make use of improved sanitation facilities.

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with a representative sample (WHH sampling guidelines) of the households targeted in your project.

Questions should be addressed to the person (adult) who is responsible for maintaining the sanitation facility used by household members.

This indicator requires a baseline and comparison value(s) to yield interesting information on project outcomes. At minimum, it should therefore be collected as part of both a baseline and an endline survey. A mid-term survey is optional.

• More information: #ms05 Sanitation Handbook (EN)
• External resources: JMP Definitions Water Sanitation Hygiene 2022 (EN)

Disaggregate the data by wealth, location and other relevant criteria.

This is a 'Measuring Success' (#ms) indicator. It is obligatory for all WHH projects to integrate all #ms indicators that align with the project context, with a minimum requirement of utilizing at least one indicator (and implementing one #ms qualitative tool).

1) Because the rainy and dry season affect the water availability (for pour flush, handwashing) and as such sanitation service levels, it is highly recommended to collect baseline and endline data in the same season.

2) Enumerators should attend a special training session on survey skills and observation in WASH facilities before collecting data. They must have a deep understanding of improved versus unimproved sanitation facilities and how to assess them.