UNICEF's programme for water and sanitation in Central America

In terms of water and sanitation service coverage, the Central American countries have developed differently. Costa Rica and Belize are close to full coverage in water and sanitation in urban and rural areas. Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama indicate a wide urban-rural gap of services, with coverage figures for Nicaragua being the lowest in the region. In 1995, an international independent Evaluation Team carried out a field study to evaluate UNICEF's regional water and environmental sanitation (WES) programme in Central America. This resulting report covers the period from 1991 to 1995 and reviews a programme which consists of seven WES country programmes, one special programme for former conflict areas in El Salvador and a subregional component. The aim of the programme as a whole is to improve women's and children's health and to reduce the burden of women in water collection. The terms of reference for this evaluation are found in Annex 1. In the introductory section some features of the Central American context are reviewed and a description of the programme is given. In section two, the objectives and approach of the evaluation are outlined, while sections three and four present the findings of the study including assessments of programme planning and aspects of implementation such as organization, institutional development and support, empowerment, technology, costing systems and cost recovery, and programme management. Section five contains the Evaluation Team's conclusions. Lessons learned and a list of recommendations are also included in the report. Several tables enhance the report and documents reviewed are listed in Annex 3.