Evaluation of Peru's national sanitation policies

These evaluation guidelines constitute a first step in the development of effective sanitation policies for Peru. They are expected to contribute to initiating the policy development process, managing the procurement of resources, and undertaking initiatives focused on developing capabilities for the implementation of sanitation policies and programs. Step-by-step, the existing policy framework and the strategic plan of the Vice Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation are discussed. Subjects investigated are : political will and policy acceptance, target population, service levels, legal framework, health considerations, environmental considerations, and financial considerations

The constitutional mandates with implications for the sanitation subsector policies are the right to health, decentralisation, and public services, three core elements that define the desired orientation of the policies, strategies and planning of the various institutional rates of the subsector. Health considerations are active elements in the rural sanitation programs implemented by nongovernmental organisations. For the Ministry of Health sanitation and health are intertwined and components of the goal or driving force behind sanitation. It is evident, that sanitation is one of the strategies for implementing the government's health policy, and a priority for the sanitation subsector in order to assist in achieving the government's health goals.

One of the most important gaps in the policy framework for Peru's sanitation services involves the institutional and financial support required for the sustained operation and maintenance of installed infrastructure. Although the ministry supports the construction and sanitation of facilities, it does not provide financing or technical assistance for operations and maintenance.