Principles and challenges in scaling up CLTS: experiences from Madhya Pradesh, India

India is the largest contributor in pulling down the MDG targets around sanitation. Within India, Madhya Pradesh is one of the poorer performing states in terms of sanitation coverage. The scale is huge and the government is trying out several approaches to meet this challenge. The success of CLTS in Bangladesh has led different state governments to attempt CLTS at scale in India. This paper discusses the challenge being faced in adopting CLTS in parts and how it contravenes some of the principles of this approach. On the other hand the state of Madhya Pradesh already has some very effective mechanisms for people led and people centric planning through Panchayats and Gram Sabhas. The paper recommends strengthening existing mechanisms to meet the huge sanitation challenge. This would help the state in effectively engage communities in planning, implementing and sustaining sanitation services in the villages and making it truly community led

Child rights based water, sanitation and hygiene in practice in Bangladesh, India and Nepal

The child rights based WASH programme was implemented by WaterAid and Save the Children in South Asia from 2008-13. Child rights situation analysis showed that lack of participation of children in WASH programmes is compounded by the lack of accountability of duty bearers towards ensuring children’s rights. As a result WASH programmes often fail to ensure that services are accessible to children or targeted to the most excluded. Two key areas of focus were identified; to develop accountability mechanisms at the local level for provision of WASH services that meet children’s needs; and to ensure children’s meaningful participation in WASH activities, especially the poorest and most marginalised. This paper will share the approaches developed, the key outcomes, and learning to take forward. It will also demonstrate how the child rights based approach to WASH brings children’s needs and opinions into WASH discussion at community and institutional level and can lead to improved access, and a better realisation of children’s rights overall