SECTOR: WASH
Allocation
Envelope
3
Associated SRP Strategic Objective Amount
Allocated
WASH
Objective 1: Restore or maintain sustainable water and sanitation systems to
improve public health and resilience
Objective 2: Provide emergency WASH assistance to the most vulnerable so
as to reduce excess morbidity and mortality
Objective 3: Ensure sufficient sectorial coordination and capacity at the
national and sub-national levels
$10
million
It is estimated that 19.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance to establish or
maintain access to safe water and sanitation, with 9.8 million people directly affected because of
the conflict. Considering the declining access to safe drinking water and sanitation services, these
trends point to a potential public health crisis. If current conditions persist, partners estimate that
up to 2.5 million children could be at risk of diarrhoea - compared to pre-crisis estimates of 1.5
million. In Yemen, 88 per cent of diarrhoeal disease incidence is due to unsafe water, poor
sanitation and poor hygiene practices. Undernutrition is directly caused by inadequate dietary
intake and/or disease and indirectly related to many factors, including contaminated drinking-water
and poor sanitation and hygiene. Proven, simple interventions exist to combat undernutrition, such
as handwashing with soap, and use of hygienic latrines. However, given the complexity of factors
that cause undernutrition, especially lack of access to water and sanitation and poor hygiene, no
single intervention alone will achieve effective or lasting results.
The WASH cluster therefore encourages the integration of WASH in health and nutrition
interventions. Provision of water, sanitation and handwashing facilities should be prioritized in
communities and households with high malnutrition rates, and projects should offer a full WASH
package (access to safe water, appropriate latrines and handwashing facilities, including hygiene
materials and promotion of key hygiene messages, and appropriate waste management). WASH
services and facilities should also be available in health centers, especially in locations where
children are treated for undernutrition.
The critical WASH conditions also impact the 2.2 million people that have fled their homes. While
the majority is able to stay with relatives or rent accommodation, others have no other option then
to reside in collective centers or spontaneous settlements. Without WASH facilities, or existing but
non-functional or overburdened infrastructure, these most vulnerable are in immediate need of
safe drinking water, toilets and hygiene items. The WASH cluster encourages partners to prioritize
those in collective centers or spontaneous settlements in an integrated approach with the shelter,
NFI and CCCM cluster.
WASH Eligible Programme Areas:
Provision of safe drinking water through trucking, installation of water tanks,
construction/rehabilitation of water infrastructure, treatment of water resources,
HPF Strategy Paper - Second Standard Allocation 2016 | 7
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Coordination Saves Lives | http://www.unocha.org/yemen/about-hpf-yemen
distribution of chlorine tablets, jerry cans and ceramic water filters to households. Costeffective
and sustainable solutions are encouraged.
Provision of emergency sanitation through the construction and maintenance of
appropriate temporary emergency latrines and hand washing facilities for males and
females and maintaining environmental sanitation through solid waste management.
Provision of hygiene kits and hygiene behavioural change interventions focusing on
personal, household and community hygiene in addition to training community health
volunteers (CHVs).