The Gambia National Policy for Sanitation and Hygiene 2015-2020

OBJECTIVE

To provide an acceptable, affordable and sustainable sanitation and hygiene service to all communities in the Gambia through inter-agency collaboration and community participation.

 CONTENT

The National Policy for Sanitation and Hygiene is aimed at promoting and providing adequate sanitation and hygiene coverage for improving the quality of life of the Gambian population. The Specific Objectives of the Policy are:

• To accelerate progress towards achieving MDG Target for sanitation in The Gambia.
•  To reduce by 2/3 incidence of sanitation and hygiene-related diseases among the population.
• Provide communities with the awareness and knowledge to promote improved sanitation and hygienic practices for better health;
• Build the technical skills and capacity of stakeholders such as public health officers, technicians, artisans and other public officials and community workers, for quality service delivery and the promotion of basic sanitation and hygienic practices in accordance with national policies and guidelines;
• Develop and disseminate guidelines and standards for the promotion and utilisation of cost-effective, appropriate and sustainable quality sanitation and hygiene facilities;
• Review and harmonise existing policies, legal instruments and institutional structures with a view to creating an appropriate coordinating framework for enhancing the effective and efficient implementation of the national sanitation and hygiene policy and strategy;
•  Put in place an efficient and effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism and process at both the community and central levels for the implementation of the national sanitation and hygiene policy and strategy; and
• Develop a financing mechanism that harnesses the potential of both public and private sectors as well as community resources for the implementation of the sanitation and hygiene policy and strategy.