Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability in South Asia

Target: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

The world is likely to surpass the drinking water target, though more than 1 in 10 people may still be without access in 2015. According to the study, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia have already met the MDG drinking water target. However, coverage in rural areas lags behind that of cities and towns.


On the other hand, the world is far from meeting the sanitation target. In fact, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2049 to provide 77% of the global population with improved sanitation. Almost half of the populations of developing regions and some 2.6 billion people globally were not using an improved form of sanitation in 2008. An estimated 1.1 billion people did not use any facility at all and practiced open defecation, which poses enormous health risks. Globally, open defecation rates have declined by one third, from 25% of the population in 1990 to 17% in 2008. The UN report shows that almost two thirds of the people who practice open sanitation reside in Southern Asia.


Globally, an urban resident is 1.7 times more likely to use an improved sanitation facility than someone living in a rural area. Inequalities are most stark in Southern Asia, where an urban resident is 2.2 times more likely to use an improved facility than a rural resident.

To meet the MDG targets, it requires country ownership and government commitment to spur the institutional changes needed to ensure the sustainability of capacity-building efforts. The verse of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon should be kept in mind which says, "Between now and 2015, we must make sure that promises made become promises kept. The consequences of doing otherwise are profound: death, illness and despair, needless suffering, lost opportunities for millions upon millions of people."

Source: UN (2011) The Millennium Development Goals Report. UN: New York
Photos: Shakya, P. (2011) SWASHTHA project, ENPHO.

Community Development Program, Dhulikhel

The first phase of Community Development Project, launched on 20th March 2008, at Dhulikhel Municipality has been completed with visible outcomes on capacity building trainings, skill development trainings and awareness activities on Water and Sanitation (WATSAN).

The main objective of the project was to improve the health of local people thereby improving WATSAN facilities in the communities and build the capacity of locals through income generating activities.

It was found that the Achievements of the project was huge that has been summarized below :
• Altogether 24 community mobilizers were provided TOT on safe drinking water, SLTS and solid waste management. They further trained 371 people in the community and 394 students.
• Capacity building training on gender, leadership and health and hygiene was provided to 126 people.
• Altogether 13 skill development training was provided to 162 people.
• Child club was formed in 11 schools where all the clubs are actively involved in cleanliness activities.
• In a total 224 households are using colloidal silver filter to treat their drinking water.
• Altogether 1442 people were made aware on safe drinking water and clean sanitation.
• Altogether 13 WATSAN construction activities were done where the overall beneficiary was 7000 people.
• Altogether 121 toilets have been constructed in 7 communities.


Beneficiary Population/community:
Direct beneficiary - Access to toilet (121 HHs), Household using water treatment options (224 HHs)
Indirect beneficiary – 9640 people

There are still few activities which are still incomplete due to political conflict and insufficient support from the local community. For e.g. the construction of greenery park at Dhulikhel Bus-Park has not progressed. There are bins placed at various spots but it is seen that waste is thrown outside the bin.


However, there is still hope that once the attitude of the people is changed, it will not take time to achieve the goals towards healthy community and development. There requires continuity in this project to achieve the desired impact of the project in the future.

Source: ENPHO, Central Office, 110/25 - Aadarsha Marg, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Opportunities at Environmental Sector!

Urban population in Nepal is expanding rapidly, placing enormous pressure on urban basic services like shelter, safe drinking water and sanitation, drainage and sewerage, transportation and waste management. Environmental health risks from unsafe drinking water, poor hygiene behavior, lack of sanitation and prolong exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP) in poorly ventilated kitchens is very high in Nepal. This situation is deteriorating with rapid and haphazard urbanization as urban poor are often forced to live in very crowded and unhygienic settlements. Municipal authorities who have limited resources are struggling to meet the increasing demands for environmental health services - water, sanitation and household (HH) energy.

There are huge opportunities for municipalities, NGOs and INGOs to work in collaboration with the community in order to improve their access to safe drinking water; better sanitation facilities; improved hygiene practices among community people including women and children through strong partnerships between state and non-state actors and improved linkages between state, non-state and private sector actors to institutionalize environmental health improvement measures.

Source: SWASHTHA project, Accessed through ENPHO.