Water, sanitation and hygiene
Clean water, basic toilets and good hygiene practices are essential for the survival and development of children. See how UNICEF is supporting the government of Cameroon to provide access to these basic needs for children.
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The challenges
Around 50% of schools have access to clean water, while just 30% have proper sanitation facilities. The prevalence of open defecation remains high at approximately 5.5 %, particularly in rural communities.
The biggest challenge in the WASH sector is poor access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, especially among the rural populations of the North, Far-North, Adamaoua, North West, South West and East regions.
Inadequate hygiene practices affect family health and nutrition and contribute to the high mortality rate of children under 5 (79 per 1000 live births according to DHS, 2018).
The WASH context in Cameroon is characterized by a growing population, urbanization, and climate change impacts with significant disparities in basic access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services between urban and rural areas.
Access to safe water stands at 70% for the entire population, with 82% coverage in urban areas and 52% coverage in rural regions. Only 43% of the population in Cameroon has access to basic sanitation facilities, with a significant gap between urban (58%) and rural (22%) areas.
Disabled students face difficulties accessing appropriate WASH facilities; approximately 200,000 disabled children are excluded from Cameroon’s education system due to inadequate infrastructure support.
In Cameroon, climate change is significantly impacting WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) services. This is evident through infrastructure damage caused by increased rainfall variability, landslides, flooding, variations in groundwater recharge/level, and contamination of aquifers from flooding and poor sanitation. The government has identified the water, sewage, and health sectors, along with agriculture, as being among the most heavily affected by climate change. Authorities also predict that over half of Cameroonians will experience water shortages due to climate change-related temperature rises, which will further strain aquifers, particularly in semi-arid regions such as the North and Far North.
The poor or unequal access to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services is worsened by the humanitarian crisis in Cameroon. This crisis is driven by several factors: i) the spill-over from the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR), the crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions, and the Boko Haram insurgency, which have led to increased internal displacement (with 785522 people affected, of which 530000 are a consequence of the northwest/southwest crisis), as well as an influx of refugees from Nigeria and CAR (approximately 400000 refugees reported by UNHCR in 2019), ii) the nutritional situation, iii) flooding, and iv) the high prevalence of water-related diseases.
17% of girls in Cameroon miss school due to inadequate menstrual hygiene management provisions.
Diarrheal diseases account for 16% of under-5 mortality rates in Cameroon, with over 7,000 child deaths per year associated with unsanitary conditions
The solutions
UNICEF's approach to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Cameroon focuses on collaborating with local governments, communities, and other partners to ensure that every child has access to clean water and sanitation. The organization is dedicated to ensuring that the most vulnerable populations, including children, women, and marginalized groups, have improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
UNICEF’s added value in the WASH sector in Cameroon stems from its extensive experience in providing WASH services at the community level, schools, and health facilities. UNICEF also brings a wealth of knowledge in emergency preparedness and response, support in system strengthening as well as national and global WASH advocacy.
UNICEF's plan in Cameroon is to contribute to the government's efforts to provide universal access to WASH services by 2030 as per the SND30, with a focus on the most vulnerable communities. The plan is to support the acceleration of sustainable WASH services in communities, schools, and health facilities, while also reinforcing the WASH-enabling environment and strengthening the emergency response.
With its extensive technical expertise and experience in Cameroon, UNICEF has supported the government's efforts to strengthen the WASH sector. UNICEF has provided financial and technical assistance to the government and other WASH stakeholders through various projects. This support has been integral to developing policies and plans, providing essential WASH services, and strengthening the capacity of service providers and local institutions.
UNICEF continues to advocate for children's rights to water and sanitation and implements initiatives to reach these goals. UNICEF's added value to WASH in Cameroon includes its commitment to working in partnerships and its ability to provide expertise, strategic planning, and technical assistance.