A systems approach to improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools in Odisha, India

As part of the humanitarian response to create an enabling environment for children at schools, and to contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 3, 4, and 6, UNICEF India envisages improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools. In 2019, UNICEF in partnership with the Government of Odisha rolled out a systems approach to WASH for 58,000 schools to improve equitable access to safe WASH facilities in schools and to address any gaps that may exist. Schools were assessed through a digital monitoring application and ranked on 39 benchmarks for WASH facilities and practices. Approximately 13,000 schools were ranked as 1 and 2 stars on a 5-star scale (with 5-star being the best), which necessitated structuring schedules for improvement throughout the year. The systems approach to strengthening key building blocks was followed through including advocacy for policy and planning, infrastructure improvement, leveraging finances, capacity building, behavior change, institutional strengthening, accountability, and monitoring. School Swachhata (cleanliness) Action Plans (SAPs) were developed for more than 5,000 schools, and necessary behavior change is being encouraged by involving school management committees and by instituting child cabinets of student leaders as role models to promote positive WASH behaviors among others. The complex interconnection between stakeholders was assessed using the social network analysis to highlight the level of interaction and stakeholder roles that guided the success of the Odisha WASH program to guide future WASH in school programs in Odisha and other states in India. Overall, the study findings suggest that the Odisha WASH program's success is owed, in part, to a diverse and multi-layered coordination structure between the district, block, and community-level stakeholders.