Sudan drinking water safety strategic framework

Highlights

The aim of the Sudan Drinking Water Safety Strategic Framework (SDWSSF) is to provide strategic direction to the scaling up of access to safe drinking water (SDW) across Sudan. This will be through providing drinking water systems that are appropriately designed which effectively protect the drinking water at all times to minimise faecal contamination and elevated levels of toxic chemicals; and through ensuring that treatment processes are effective and sustainable.

Access to Safe Drinking Water

Access to safe drinking water is critical for human health, dignity and economic development. It also contributes to the attainment of a number of human rights including, but not limited to: survival, attaining an adequate standard of living, health, education and gender equality. The safety of drinking water has a direct impact on a range of diseases and illnesses and increasing access to safe drinking water contributes to improving child, maternal and neonatal nutrition and reducing morbidity and mortality. It increases the time that is spent in school and work, due to less time off due to sickness and looking after the sick and it reduces the workload burden, particularly on women and girls. Accessible water supply facilities can also contribute to ensuring health, dignity and quality of life for people with disabilities and mobility limitations and well sited and functioning facilities can also contribute to reducing vulnerabilities to violence for women and girls and in some cases men and boys, particularly in conflict zones. There is clear evidence that the child stunting rate increases with both a reduction of access to improved water sources and with higher levels of open defecation in the States across Sudan.