Sparking Economic Growth: The Case for Investing in water, Sanitation and Hygiene

On 2^nd December, over 15 finance and sector ministers’ from Asia and the Pacific will come together to develop and strengthen partnerships for smart investments in water, sanitation, and hygiene.

These partnerships are critical given the central role this sector can play in national economic and health recovery; delivering improved resilience, employment opportunities, health benefits, and access to innovative finance –allowing the country to build forward better.

The Asia and the Pacific Finance Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) is one of three regional convenings organized by the Sanitation and Water for All partnership. The co-conveners are UNICEF, the World Bank Water Global Practice, and the Asian Development Bank.

The ministers’ will be presenting evidence and practical experience of successful investments in the sector, and by fostering an active dialogue and partnership between ministers and leaders from development agencies, including development banks, bilateral and multilateral partners, civil society, private sector, research and learning, and UN agencies.

On the eve of the FMM, Freshwater Action Network South Asia(FANSA), a key civil society partner of Sanitation and Water for All, would like to share two key messages to the Finance Ministers:

• To achieve SDG 6 without leaving no one behind, a substantial increase in funding and finances and these increased financial resources must be dedicated and fully utilized to particularly ensure reaching WASH services for marginalized and vulnerable communities. There must be robust accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that the progress achieved in reaching the services for the unreached commensurate with resources invested.

• Lack of sustainability and slip back tendency is a crucial barrier in achieving WASH services for all. Addressing these barriers requires a substantial increase in financial resources for sustainable management of ground and surface water resources utilized for providing water resources and this includes wastewater treatment and ensuring source security. Financial resources allocated for climate change mitigation and adaptation shall be targeted to build the climate resilience of WASH infrastructure. Adequacy of financial allocations must be ensured to create a capital infrastructure that can meet the WASH needs of the current and future generations.