UNICEF has carried out sustainability checks of their water and sanitation programmes in East and West Africa, and in Asia. This presentation reviews what these checks have in common, the methods used and disparities in data aggregation. Key results for water supply (functionality rates and service provider performance) and sanitation (latrine functionality and open defecation) are provided. It concludes with an overview of the impact of conducting sustainability checks and recommendations on the methodology and and use. Presented by Julia Boulenouar (Aguaconsult) at the IRC Event "Checking and monitoring sustainability of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services" in The Hague, The Netherlands on 16 November 2016,

1. REVIEW OF THE SUSTAINABILITY
CHECKS IN UNICEF’S WASH
PROGRAMMES- KEY FINDINGS
IRC WASH event
The Hague, 16th November 2016
Julia Boulenouar

2. OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICATION TO DATE
ORGANISATION APPLICATIONS
UNICEF East Africa: 7 countries/18 applications
West Africa: 5 countries/ 5 applications
Asia: 2 countries/ 2 applications
25

3. COMMONALITIES ACROSS SUSTAINABILITY CHECKS
• Conducted by 3rd parties
• Similar approaches to data collection
• Similar approaches to sampling
• Considered systems newly built
• Considered multiple dimensions: FIETS
• BUT focused on functionality and community level
• Methodologies in ESARO more mature/complex with evolutions
• No longitudinal data and no outcome data in most countries
• Largely a UNICEF reporting tool

4. DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES
• Varying scopes:
• Functionality vs. sustainability
factors
• Local vs. sector level
• Different aspects included in
FIETS
•Different indicators, definitions,
benchmarks, methods of
assessment
• Varying data collection methods:
• WQ testing
• Transect walks

5. DISPARITIES IN THE AGGREGATION PROCESS
Mozambique, 2014
Malawi, 2014
Mali, 2015

6. KEY RESULTS- WATER SUPPLY
100% 100% 100%
89% 89%
66%
80%
89%
Ghana
Coted'Ivoire
Mauritania
Mali
Mozambique
Rwanda
Ethiopia
Malawi
Average
WCARO ESARO
Functionality rates in WCARO and ESARO
1 year after construction
Between 1 and 4
years after
construction
73%
100%
11%
90%
11%11%
70% 66%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Ghana Cote d'Ivoire Mauritania
Service provider performance
Functional service provider Tariff in place
Access to spare parts Maintenance capacity

7. KEY RESULTS- SANITATION AND HYGIENE
88% 83% 79%
61%
76% 76% 79%
Rwanda
Mozambique
Malawi
Ghana
Mali
Mauritania
Coted'Ivoire
ESARO WCARO
ODF
59%
70%
25%
60% 63%
Rwanda Mozambique Ethiopia Mauritania Cote d'Ivoire
ESARO WCARO
Latrine functionality
1 year after
implementation
Between 1 and 4 years after
implementation
1 year after
implementation
Between 1 and 4 years after
implementation

8. MAIN IMPACTS OF THE SUSTAINABILITY CHECKS
• At country level
• Management memos and remedial actions
• Sustainability on the political agenda
• Engagement with results- fundamental shift in approach?
• Impact on sustainability?
• At organisational level
• Greater focus
• Inclusion in corporate monitoring
• At sector level
• The tool is being adopted by more stakeholders

9. RECOMMANDATIONS ON THE METHODOLOGY
• Approach
• Standardise the methodology and the deliverables
• Contextualise the benchmarks based on national norms
• Develop the SC with Government
• Minimum indicators:
• Functionality
• Service levels (reliability; water quality)
• Enabling factors: service provider capacity, district support
• Process
• Annual check + sector assessments (e.g. BAT)
• Support national monitoring systems
• Engage with results!

10. RECOMMANDATIONS ON HOW TO USE THE
SUSTAINABILITY CHECK
Programme
design
Programme
implementation
Post-
implementation
Sector assessment
(including capacity and
monitoring assessment)
Light
sustainability
check:
functionality,
service quality
and service
provider
performance
Support to
sector
monitoring and
use of existing
data
Project/programme
evaluation including
sustainability
assessment

11. THANK YOU
Julia Boulenouar j.boulenouar@aguaconsult.co.uk