Sanitation and hygiene master plan [Nepal]

Despite the gradual achievements in sanitation, still 57% of the country's population lacks access to a toilet. A gap of 37 % between people’s access to water supply (80.4%) and sanitation (43.04%) facilities stands as a big challenge in achieving the perceived health benefits from water supply and sanitation services. The poor and disadvantaged communities are the most affected, with children and women fairing worst. Solid waste and wastewater problems are growing rapidly in urban areas. Nepal has to achieve at least 53% toilet coverage by 2015 to meet the sanitation Millennium Development Goal (MDG). The trend of toilet coverage indicates that Nepal will attain the MDG but it needs pragmatic vision, operational strategies, strengthened institutional arrangements, adequate resources and stakeholders' collaborative efforts to achieve the national goal of universal toilet coverage by 2017. Through all South Asian Conferences on Sanitation, Nepal has made firm commitments to develop the Sanitation and Hygiene Master Plan. This commitment was also reinforced through the Nepal Country Plan for the International Year of Sanitation-2008. Considering the existing challenges and barriers to overcome and the commitment needed to meet National and MDG targets, having the Master Plan in place is essential to mainstream the efforts of concerned stakeholders at various levels. Hence, the Steering Committee for National Sanitation Action has formulated this Master Plan to expedite the pace of sanitation promotion and demonstrate Nepal’s commitment in its sanitation endeavors. A wide range of consultations were carried out with various community, district, regional and national level stakeholders to seek feedback and input to develop the Master Plan. The Master Plans of a few other countries were also reviewed. [authors abstract]