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Most countries in Africa will fall short of meeting the MDG targets for the provision of water and sanitation due to lack of financial and institutional capacity (WSP-Africa, 2006). Although safe sanitation has been found to be the most effective single intervention in reducing diarrhoea (Esrey, et al.1991), this does not necessarily mean building latrines, which can become a fly breeding ground …
This paper aims to clarify the meaning, and explain the utility, of the case study method, a method often practiced but little understood. A “case study,” I argue, is best defined as an intensive study of a single unit with an aim to generalize across a larger set of units. Case studies rely on the same sort of covariational evidence utilized in non-case study research. Thus, the case study …
The Fit for School (FIT) programme integrates school health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene interventions, which are implemented by the Ministries of Education in four Southeast Asian countries. This paper describes the findings of a Health Outcome Study, which aimed to assess the two-year effect of the FIT programme on the parasitological, weight, and oral health status of children attending …
Unsafe water consumption is the environmental risk factor in sub-Saharan Africa contributing most to premature death. In urban slums and dispersed rural communities, where access to safe water is especially limited, water kiosks are a relevant safe water source. However, irregular use challenges their operational viability and may cause discontinuation. The present study investigated collective …
This field workbook supports the implementation of the interagency (FAO, UNICEF, WHO) “Communication for Behavioural Impact (COMBI): A toolkit for behavioural and social communication in outbreak response”. It is a handheld guide and notebook for applying the WHO COMBI methodology in 7-steps, during an outbreak. It is primarily intended for risk communication, developmental communication and …
Recently, Global Health practitioners, scholars, and donors have expressed increased interest in “changing social norms” as a strategy to promote health and well-being in low and mid-income countries (LMIC). Despite this burgeoning interest, the ability of practitioners to use social norm theory to inform health interventions varies widely.
Here, we identify eight pitfalls that practitioners …
Analysis of the sanitation supply chain and household sanitation demand shows that growth in coverage can be stimulated by making sanitation products and services more available, attractive and affordable while at the same time overcoming the prevalent high-end facility preference.
The concept of health promotion rests on aspirations aiming at enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. Health promotion action is facilitated in settings such as schools, homes and work places. As a contribution to the promotion of healthy lifestyles, we have further developed the setting approach in an effort to harmonise it with contemporary realities (and …
The Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPMS) have become one of the key resources for humanitarian workers since its launch in 2012.
The CPMS have been developed to support child protection work in humanitarian settings by: Establishing common principles between those working in child protection; Strengthening coordination between humanitarian actors; Improving the …
Social participation is an important means for governments to develop responsive health policies and programmes, which are more likely to be implemented by a broad stakeholder group. It is at the heart of the inclusive governance needed for countries to stake their individual paths towards Universal Health Coverage while ensuring that no one is left behind.
As simple as it may seem in theory, …
‘Advocacy' is a set of coordinated activities (ideally contributing to a broader strategy) that seeks to ensure the protection of persons who are of concern to UNHCR by promoting changes that bring policy, practice or law into line with international standards. UNHCR and its partners undertake advocacy of various kinds, including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing …
This interagency handbook was developed to set out effective malaria control responses in humanitarian emergencies, particularly during the acute phase when reliance on international humanitarian assistance is greatest. It provides policy-makers, planners, and field coordinators with practical advice on designing and implementing measures to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality in both man-made …
Behavior-change principles and approaches are critical to reaching the desired impact of development work. Behavior change ensures the safe, effective, and sustainable use of services provided, helping change norms that can transform communities and enable achievement of health and well-being. Globally, the top 20 causes of disease all have a significant behavioral component. This holds true …
Background
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions are amongst the most crucial in humanitarian crises, although the impact of the different WASH interventions on health outcomes remains unclear.
Aim
To examine the quantity and quality of evidence on WASH interventions on health outcomes in humanitarian crises, as well as evaluate current evidence on their effectiveness against …
Ocean wastewater pollution is serious, pervasive, and overlooked. Ignoring ocean wastewater pollution has consequences which threaten local and national economies, public health, fisheries, and coastal security, and can even amplify the impacts of climate change. Efforts to improve ocean health have most recently focused on establishing marine protected areas, improving fisheries management, and …
Several software applications incorporate recent advances in information and communication technology (ICT) to improve information gathering about water points. Among these applications, FLOW (Field Level Operations Watch) is not able because it was developed specifically for water point mapping. With FLOW, enumerators use android phones to enter data about each water point, and take its picture …
The Center for Water Security and Cooperation (CWSC) recently published two discussion papers analyzing access to water and sanitation. One paper sets forth a global definition of "Access" to water and sanitation to chart a path for lasting progress. The second paper makes the case for repealing laws in the United States that allow water to be shut off to low-income households for their inability …
This report seeks to stimulate the much-needed discussion on developing a better approach to assisting people in urban areas that have been affected by protracted armed conflict. It combines current research with over three decades of ICRC experience in urban areas, deriving information through focus groups and individual interviews as well as from in-depth studies on Iraq and Gaza. The …
Emergency water treatment approaches relying on coagulation vary from centralised modular and portable ‘‘kits’’ to ‘‘pointof-use’’ or ‘‘household’’ interventions. Typical coagulation practice in emergencies is reviewed in view of field constraints (e.g. equipment and resources) and contrasted with underlying theory and conventional water treatment procedures. Examples of …
There is currently a general acceptance within the humanitarian sector that market analysis should form a core part of the assessment process after crises, to inform the response options analysis and programme design. This is evidenced by the appearance of market analysis in broader tools such as the Multi Cluster Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) and the CaLP Minimum Requirements for Market …
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