WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP)

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WHO/UNICEFJoint Monitoring Programmefor Water
Supply and Sanitation (JMP)
Monitoring the MDG sanitation target Definitions,
Indicators and their measurability Henk van
Norden UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia
SACOSAN4 - 6 April 2011
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MDG target and indicators

• MDG 7 Target 7C
• Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without
  sustainable access to safe drinking water and
  basic sanitation
• Indicator for sanitation
• Proportion of population using an improved
  sanitation facility

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Improved means.

• An improved sanitation facility
• a facility that hygienically separates human
  waste from human contact

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JMP categories of improved/unimproved sanitation
facilities

• Improved type of sanitation
  facilities
• Flush/pour flush to Ventilated
  Improved Pit (VIP) latrine
• piped sewer system Pit latrine with
  slab
• septic tank Composting toilet
• pit latrine

Unimproved type of sanitation
facilities Flush/Pour flush to elsewhere
Hanging toilet/hanging latrine Pit latrine
without slab/open pit No facilities, bush or
field bucket

Unimproved Public and shared sanitation
facilities of both an improved and
unimproved type
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Criticism of current sanitation indicator

• Disposal in pit or sewer is not always hygienic
• May contaminate groundwater
• Sewage often discharged to river or sea
• Does not measure actual cleanliness of toilet
• Improved-type public and shared sanitation
  facilities are not counted as improved
• Improved facilities may not be used by all
  household members at all times
• Does not cover total sanitation

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MDG Task Force definition of basic sanitation

• The lowest-cost option for securing sustainable
  access to safe, hygienic and convenient
  facilities for excreta and sullage disposal that
  provide privacy and dignity while ensuring a
  clean and healthful living environment both at
  home and in the neighborhood of users

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MDG Task Force definition of basic sanitation
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• The lowest-cost option for securing sustainable
  access to safe, hygienic and convenient
  facilities for excreta and sullage disposal that
  provide privacy and dignity while ensuring a
  clean and healthful living environment both at
  home and in the neighborhood of users

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2
5
4
9
8
6
7
11
10
13
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15
14
16
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Indicator matrix for MDG Task Force definition of
basic sanitation
Flush Toilet?
The lowest-cost option for securing sustainable
access to safe, hygienic and convenient
facilities for excreta and sullage disposal that
provide privacy and dignity while ensuring a
clean and healthful living environment both at
home and in the neighborhood of users
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Indicator matrix for MDG Task Force definition of
basic sanitation
VIP latrine?
The lowest-cost option for securing sustainable
access to safe, hygienic and convenient
facilities for excreta and sullage disposal that
provide privacy and dignity while ensuring a
clean and healthful living environment both at
home and in the neighborhood of users
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Concluding

• An indicator is only good (useful) if
• it comes with clearly defined categories
• data can be collected in a cost-effective,
  practical manner
• Comprehensive definitions often cannot be
  measured in a cost effective and practical way,
  across countries and over time
• At global, regional and national levels, only
  very few indicators are needed to inform
  decision-makers (at the outcome level)
• Programmes/projects get more information through
  surveys and rapid assessments (at the input and
  output levels)

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Thank you!JMP web-site www.wssinfo.org

• JMP country files
• Graphs on sanitation coverage trends
• All household survey and census data
• Regional and global coverage estimates
• JMP policies and procedures document

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Criteria for indicators

• Purpose of having an indicator
• To collect information that has relevance to what
  is sought, when what is sought cannot be measured
  directly
• A good indicator can be unambiguously measured to
  provide an approximation of reality
• Some considerations for determining indicators
• Easily measurable
• Robust data collection mechanism
• Collected against a reasonable cost
• Comprehensive yet concise
• Policy relevant
• Acceptable
• Developed preferable with participation/consultati
  on
• Allow for comparability over time

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Why is the MDG sanitation indicator a good global
indicator?

• Easily measurable through non-sanitation sector
  specific household surveys and censuses
• Cost effective
• Robust
• Periodic
• Approximation () for a hygienic toilet facility
• Comparable over time and between countries
• Comprehensive yet concise
• Policy relevant at global/regional and national
  level

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Indicator matrix for MDG Task Force definition of
basic sanitation
Composting toilet?
The lowest-cost option for securing sustainable
access to safe, hygienic and convenient
facilities for excreta and sullage disposal that
provide privacy and dignity while ensuring a
clean and healthful living environment both at
home and in the neighborhood of users