Strengthening Water and Sanitation Systems to Improve Child Nutrition and Development Outcomes

About this brief

This brief guidance describes the concept of ‘transformative’ WASH, which was adopted and further defined by UNICEF and WHO and explains how it can be used to strengthen efforts to improve survival, nutrition and development in early childhood. It brings together the latest developments and good practices in applying transformative WASH through joint programming to contribute to improved child nutrition and development outcomes, including improved diets for infants and young children and the prevention of undernutrition. The brief offers a practical approach to applying a systems lens to all phases of joint programming.

Audience

This brief guidance is intended for UNICEF Child Nutrition and Development (CND) and WASH programme staff at country and regional levels. It aims to support the design of evidence-based and effective programmes to improve outcomes for infants and young children aged 6–23 months. This document can also be used as an advocacy tool and resource for CND and WASH sector partners at country or regional level, including government counterparts.

Purpose

This brief guidance will support programme staff to:

1. Act on the latest evidence on transformative WASH programming to improve children’s diets and nutrition and development outcomes
2. Operationalize water and sanitation system-related actions that address core drivers of improved nutrition and development in early childhood
3. Improve joint CND and WASH programming for improved nutrition and development in early childhood
4. Share learning about transformative WASH programming for improved nutrition and development outcomes from contexts in which UNICEF is operational.

Detailed toolkits and guidebooks for integrating CND and WASH programming exist and can be found in the annotated bibliography.