National Rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Policy 2016-2020

National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 1 National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 2 FOREWORD The Afghanistan National Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Policy2016 – 2020, embodies the commitment of the Government of the Islamic Republic ofAfghanistan to improve the quality of life of the rural population.The vision of the policy is to create a country where everyone has access to safe drinkingwater, everyone uses sanitary latrines and all the villages are Open Defecation Free(ODF), practices appropriate hygiene behavior at home, in schools and in the widercommunity. Our vision is rooted in the belief that access to safe water supply andsanitation for all will help alleviate poverty through improved health, -productivity and -income.The first Afghanistan Rural WASH policy was prepared in 2010 to cover the period 2010– 2020. It was agreed to review the policy mid-way through the decade to reflect newinsights and ambitions stemming from the post-MDG discussions. The Ministry of RuralRehabilitation and Development, through the Water, Sanitation Sector Group (WSG) andin collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Ministry of Education (MoE),Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH) and different WASH Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and international actors, has updated andcompleted this review.The National Rural WASH Policy (2016-2020) provides the framework for WASH sectorpartners and concerned Ministries to implement WASH-related programmes andactivities. The implementation of the Policy builds on the principles underlying therecently introduced “Citizens Charter” concept of providing a threshold of core WASHservices in an equitable way to all communities, reinforcing community self-reliance. Itfurther increases aid-effectiveness through harmonized approaches and bettercoordination, it builds on the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework andanticipates the achievement of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targetswhich call for universal access to Water Supply and Sanitation.In line with current government policy, the Community Development Councils (CDC)will be the first point of contact for WASH development programming in ruralcommunities, including community WASH, WASH services in Health Centers and WASHservices in Schools. CDCs facilitate the contact between government, NGOs and the mostrelevant community members and WASH service providers.We feel privileged to offer this National Rural WASH Policy 2016 -2020 to the people ofAfghanistan with the trust and hope that its effective implementation will help to maketheir lives better and healthier, enhancing their productivity and participation in thedevelopment of our country. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 3 Kabul, August 2016 National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 4 ContentsFOREWORD..........................................................................................................................2ACRONYMS ..............................................................................................................................5SECTION 1.0: GENERAL BACKGROUND......................................................................................61.1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................6 1.2. RURAL WASH CONTEXT IN AFGHANISTAN ............................................................................61.3 POLICY GOAL ....................................................................................................................81.4 POLICY PRINCIPLES ..................................................................................................9SECTION 2.0: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PROVISION OFRURAL WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE SERVICES ...................................................... 102.1 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ....................................................................... 102.2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PROVISION OF RURAL WASH SERVICES ..................... 10  RUWATSIP AT MRRD.................................................................................................11  PROVINCIAL RURAL REHABILITATION DEPARTMENT ........................................................ 11  MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH ....................................................................................... 11  PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ........................................................................... 12  BASIC PACKAGE OF HEALTH SERVICES IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS ...................................... 12  MINISTRY OF EDUCATION ............................................................................................. 12  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ........................................................................................ 12  COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS........................................................................... 13  NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS .......................................................................... 13  WASH EMERGENCY CLUSTER ....................................................................................... 13  TECHNICAL SUPPORT AGENCIES AND DONORS...................................................................132.3 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ......................................................................... 132.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS .................................................................................. 142.5 WASH CLUSTER TRANSITION TO MRRD ............................................................... 142.6 GLOBAL AND REGIONAL WASH EVENTS................................................................ 14SECTION 3.0: LEGAL ASPECT IN WASH .................................................................................... 15SECTION 4.0: INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT............................... 15SECTION 5.0: MONITORING AND EVALUATION ........................................................................... 16ANNEXES............................................................................................................................ 17ANNEX 1: EXISTING MANUALS, POLICIES AND GUIDELINES........................................... 17ANNEX 2: WASH GUIDELINES ........................................................................................... 17ANNEX 3: RURAL WASH MIS REPORTING FORMAT ......................................................... 18 National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 5 ACRONYMS AIRD Afghanistan Institute of Rural Development ANDS Afghanistan National Development Strategy BPHS Basic Package of Health Services CDC Community Development Councils CLTS Community Led Total Sanitation DACAAR Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees DDAs District Development Assemblies GoIRA Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan HTWG Hygiene Technical Working Group IDP Internally Displaced Person JMP Joint Monitoring Programme MDG Millennium Development Goals MIS Management Information System MoE Ministry of Education MoPH Ministry of Public Health MRRD Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development MoUDH Ministry of Urban Development and Housing NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations NSP National Solidarity Programme ODF Open Defecation Free O&M Operation and Maintenance PDMC Provincial Disaster Management Committees PRRD Provincial Rural Rehabilitation and Development Ru-WatSIP Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation Programme SACOSAN South Asian Conference on Sanitation SDG Sustainable Development Goals STWG Sanitation Technical Working Group SWA Sanitation and Water for All UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WHO World Health Organization WSG Water and Sanitation Sector Group WSP Water Safety Plan WTWG Water Technical Working Group WUSC Water Users and Sanitation Committees National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 6 SECTION 1.0: GENERAL BACKGROUND 1.1 INTRODUCTIONThe WASH sector ministries Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD),Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and Ministry of Education (MoE) of the IslamicRepublic of Afghanistan in close partnership with relevant stakeholders are committedto provide Afghan people in rural areas with safe access to water supply and sanitationservices along with hygiene promotion.Proper development of these services support the social and economic development ofthe nation, upgrade quality of life and improves the health status of the Afghan people inrural communities. The existing WASH policy, which was formulated for the period 2010to 2020, highlighted the need for a review and revision of the policy in 2015. For thispurpose the WSG formed a task force committee, chaired by MRRD and supported byUNICEF and DACAAR and other stakeholders including representatives of the MoE,MoPH, MoUDH, and international and national Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)to review the policy.This revised policy which is in line with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy(ANDS), presents a framework for improving the quality of life of people in rural areasby ensuring access to safe water and improved sanitation and promoting the adoption ofhygienic practices at the personal, household and community level, health centers andschools. The principles laid out in this policy are in line with the ambitions of the newSustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) to Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All.The revised National Rural WASH Policy 2016 - 2020 replaces the January 2010National Rural WASH Policy adopted by the MRRD in May 2010. Another review of thispolicy will be undertaken in 2020 with the objective to achieve the ambitions of SDG 6,by 2030. 1.2. RURAL WASH CONTEXT IN AFGHANISTANAccording to international standards (WHO/UNICEF JMP, 2015)1 improved sanitationcoverage in rural Afghanistan increased from 21 per cent in 2000, to 27 per cent in 1 The definition of what constitutes access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in Afghanistan hasbeen adjusted various times over the past decade. Even the household surveys conducted by the centralStatistics Organization and which are the main sources of information on the use of drinking watersources and sanitation facilities in Afghanistan, have used different definitions of access in the pastbetween different surveys.The most recent household surveys (NRVA 2011/12, ALCS 2013/14 and DHS 2015) have used theinternationally recognized MDG definitions of improved and unimproved facilities to determine whatproportion of the population has access to an improved drinking water or sanitation facility. |For the sakeof simplicity and comparability with internationally used definitions access to drinking water andsanitation for the Rural WASH Policy has been defined in accordance with the MDG standards maintainedby the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) on Water Supply and Sanitation. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 7 2015, while Improved drinking water supply coverage in rural areas increased from 24per cent to 47 per cent over the same period. 2.9 million people in rural areas gainedaccess to an improved sanitation facility whereas 6.2 million rural people gained accessto an improved drinking water supply. That leaves 17.2 million people in rural areaswithout an improved toilet and 12.5 million people without access to an improveddrinking water source in 2015. Among the 17.2 million people without an improvedtoilet, there are four million people without any type of toilet, who practice opendefecation. Many of these people live in remote areas and are among the poorest andmost disadvantaged in the country. Their children suffer from high rates of WASH-related diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia and from malnutrition caused byreduced food-intake and repeated infections with fecal pathogens causing diarrhoea anda diminished absorption of vital nutrients by their bodies.The gains in rural WASH over the past 15 years have been made under the leadership ofthe MRRD, in part by the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation Programme (Ru-WatSIP), the National Solidarity Programme (NSP), the MoPH, MoE and countless NGOssupporting rural communities with WASH services, largely with external funding fromdonors and international agencies.Many of these actors meet monthly at the WSG convened by the MRRD. The WSGprovides a platform for WASH sector partners to discuss operational and technicalconcerns of the WASH Sector partners. The WSG also assists in policy dialogue andformulation and approves the national guidelines and technical standards for ruralWASH interventions. Under the WSG there are three sub-groups: the Water TechnicalWorking Group (WTWG) led by DACAAR, the Sanitation Technical Working Group(STWG) led by MRRD (Ru-WatSIP) and the Hygiene Technical Working Group (HTWG)led by MoPH. A new working group will be added to the WSG: The Young WASHProfessionals Working Group on SDGs led by UNICEF.Both the WSG and the three working groups are governed by their respective Terms ofReferences (ToRs). MRRD is also a strong member of the Supreme Council of Water andSecretary to the Disaster Management Committee for Afghanistan led by the VicePresident.Two other Ministries are involved in the provision of rural WASH services: the MoPHand the MoE. The MoPH serves as the normative body for water quality standards andleads and advises on the hygiene behavioral change content and approaches nationally.The MoPH also maintains a network of community health volunteers who are engaged inhygiene behavioral change interventions at village level. The MoPH is also responsiblefor maintaining adequate hygiene standards and the provision of WASH services inhealth centers.The MoE is responsible for the provision of WASH facilities in schools and for deliveringthe hygiene curriculum to school children.Rural water supply interventions in Afghanistan are a mix of piped supplies with publictaps or house connections, boreholes with hand pumps, gravity fed systems, naturalsprings and the traditional Kareez system of combining several underground sourcesinto one, usually gravity-fed supply. An estimated seven per cent of the rural population National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 8 (1.6 million people) still rely on surface water for drinking. Boreholes with hand pumpsare by far the most common type of water supply. A study by Danish Committee for Aidto Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) in 2013, however found that close to 50 per cent of thehand pumps in Afghanistan are not operational.Typically water supply systems are built using contractors under the supervision of theProvincial Rural Rehabilitation and Development (PRRDs) or NGO partners. Watersupply user committees are trained in the basic Operation and Maintenance (O&M) ofthe systems and typically before and after finalizing the systems the water quality isassessed. Operation and maintenance of rural water supplies by communities isproblematic with many communities asking for external support for the repair orrehabilitation of their systems. There is some private sector involvement in theprovision of spare-parts and O&M services. Water Safety Planning has not yet beenintroduced in Afghanistan.The traditional sanitation practice in Afghanistan is the so-called vault toilet. A designthat separates urine from excreta. The excreta traditionally is scooped out of the vault atregular intervals and buried for about six months after which it is dug up and used asfertilizer. This is still practiced by many communities where the excreta is regularlymixed with ashes, straw and animal droppings before composting it. Many vault latrines,however do not meet the minimum standard of an improved latrine – as the vaults areoften not properly sealed and excreta is readily visible.In 2009, the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach to sanitation wasintroduced in Afghanistan. Since its introduction over 1,600 communities have beendeclared ODF. The Afghan- Context ACCLTS approach, aside from the triggering, includesa hygiene behavioral change component focusing on personal and domestic hygiene andpromotes the upgrading from existing vault latrines to improved sanitation facilities.The CLTS mobilization teams typically work with the community health volunteers. Thetraditional excreta disposal method in rural Afghanistan is close to the ideal closed-loopsystem that underlies the thinking behind the new Sustainable Development Goal (SDG),sanitation target, which calls for universal access to improved sanitation and at least 50per cent safe management of excreta. The on-site safe management and reuse of excretaas compost is the ideal scenario envisaged by SDG 6.The use of improved sanitation and practicing of appropriate hygiene behavior – inparticular washing hands with soap and water at critical times has a respective 36 percent 42 per cent impact on the reduction of the morbidity of diarrhoeal diseases inchildren under-five years of age. Achieving ODF status in a village has a 23 per centimpact on the reduction of stunting – a manifestation of chronic malnutrition. Thehygiene behavioral change interventions pioneered in Afghanistan need to be scale-upalongside the promotion of sanitation and ending open defecation. 1.3 POLICY GOALThe Goal of the National Rural WASH Policy is to provide principles, roles andresponsibilities of different actors and operational guidance and standards for theprovision of access to rural WASH services in an equitable, coordinated and effective National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 9 manner at community level and for governmental and non-governmental institutions,including rural schools and health centers. 1.4 POLICY PRINCIPLES  The provision of WASH services in rural areas at village level and governmental andnon-governmental institutions, including schools shall include users-friendly clean,gender-separated hygienic and dignified toilets with hand washing facilities andproper waste management facilities.  Under the leadership of the MRRD, the WSG serves at the platform to formulate andapprove the national standards and guidelines for the provision of rural drinkingwater supply and sanitation. The MoPH leads on the formulation of guidelines andstandards for the provision and promotion of hygiene services.  Participation in the WSG is open to all Ministries, national and international actorsactive in rural WASH, including private sector actors and donor representatives (SeeAnnex 1: ToR of WSG).  Water supply, sanitation and hygiene behavioral change interventions at village levelshall be delivered in an integrated manner within 24 calendar months of each other  Sanitation and hygiene programming at household level shall focus on bringingabout behavioral change preferably encouraging families to construct or improvetheir own toilet facilities, while discouraging external subsidy/incentives forconstruction  National WASH standards, designs and guidelines as approved by the WSG shall berespected and adhered to by all WASH partners and service providers (see Annex 2:National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation and Hygiene Standards)  All WASH interventions at village level shall be reported at least annually to theMRRD to be recorded in the national Rural Water Supply Management InformationSystem (MIS) database (See: annex 3: Rural WASH MIS reporting format)  Village based WASH interventions must ensure gender equity in communityparticipation and decision-making in planning, design and service delivery to foster,ownership and sustainability  CDCs act as the first point of contact for rural WASH interventions at village level.CDCs are not always the implementing organization, but they facilitate the contactbetween government actors and NGOs and the most relevant group of communitymembers (e.g. school shuras, community health committees etc.)  CDCs are required to contribute at least 10 per cent of the capital costs of watersupply interventions in cash, kind or labor. The cost for O&M of the water supplyand sanitation facilities is the responsibility of the CDCs.  Public-private partnerships and private sector involvement in the provision andoperation and maintenance of water supply services will be encouraged.  Villages that have no WASH services shall be prioritized for receiving WASH serviceswith a focus on the remote, marginalized and impoverished communities  The human rights (safety, security, privacy and dignity) of people, particularly ofwomen, children, returnees, IDP, and physically and mentally challenged should beprotected and respected.  Environmental degradation shall be prevented, adapting to climatic change,preservation and improvement of catchment areas, and promoting and scaling up ofthe ground water recharge. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 10  Humanitarian WASH interventions are guided by the WASH Cluster guidelines andhave to respects and meet the SPHERE standards; they are not necessarily governedby the National Rural WASH policy. SECTION 2.0: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF RURAL WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HYGIENE SERVICES 2.1 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALSIn September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the SDGs as thesuccessor to the MDGs. SDG Goal 6 calls to Ensure availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All. The goal includes six proposed targets:6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinkingwater for all6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all andend open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls andthose in vulnerable situations6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping andminimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion ofuntreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensuresustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity andsubstantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, includingthrough transboundary cooperation as appropriate6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains,forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes6.a By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support todeveloping countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes,including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment,recycling and reuse technologies6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving waterand sanitation managementThe National Rural WASH Policy 2016 – 2020 fully endorses and supports SDG 6 and itscorresponding targets. 2.2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PROVISION OF RURAL WASH SERVICESThis chapter outlines the main roles and responsibilities of different actors involved incarrying out activities guided by the National Rural WASH policy. The roles andresponsibilities below are not exhaustive but rather cover the main ones for each of theactors involved. Some activities are shared among all or most partners such as:monitoring, research, learning and information dissemination with regards toexperiences with the provision of rural WASH services. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 11  RU-WATSIP AT MRRD- Is responsible for ensuring the adherence of WASH partners to the National RuralWASH Policy principles, guidelines and standards- Convenes the Water and Sanitation Sector Group- Initiates further WASH policy formulation and standard development throughthe WSG- Maintains the National Rural Water Supply Monitoring and Information System- Maintains a data-base for hydrogeological mapping of drinking water sources- Approves MoUs with NGOs for rural WASH interventions- Is co-responsible with the MoPH for the mitigation and control of drinking waterquality, including the operationalization of community-based Water Safety Plans(WSPs).- Together with the MoPH co-coordinates the “ending open defecation”programme- Is an implementing partner for the provision of community WASH services- Supports the WASH interventions of other government programmes, such as theNSP and other Ministries such as MoPH (WASH in health facilities) and MoE(WASH in schools)- Leads the Sanitation Working Group- Is a co-leading partner together with the MoPH in the overall coordination of the hygiene and sanitation interventions throughout the country- Is a leading member of the WASH Emergency Cluster- Coordinates national participation in International WASH events (e.g. Sanitationand Water for All (SWA), SACOSAN, etc.)  PROVINCIAL RURAL REHABILITATION DEPARTMENT- Prioritizes areas of intervention based on need and deprivation and based onrequests received from CDC and assessments made by partners- Coordinates the WASH interventions of WASH partners at the provincial anddistrict level- Facilitates the implementation of WASH interventions with CDCs, contractors andNGO partners- The CDC/Health Shura will be responsible for the verification and ODF status of villages, while community health workers (CHWs) will be part of the process including the verification and certification of the ODF at villages under the leadership of the PRRD.  MINISTRY OF PUBLIC HEALTH- Is responsible for the normative aspects of water supply, sanitation and hygieneservices at community and institutional level, including the approval of nationaldrinking water standards- Is responsible for the content of the hygiene curriculum in schools and publicinformation messages concerning water supply, sanitation and hygiene.- Approves MoUs with NGOs for hygiene promotion and water quality surveillance- Leads the Hygiene Working Group National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 12 Is a co-leading partner together with the MRRD/Ru-WatSIP in the overall coordination of the hygiene and sanitation interventions throughout the country- Is responsible for water quality surveillance of rural water supplies- Is co-responsible with the MRRD for the mitigation and control of drinking waterquality, including the operationalization of community-based Water Safety Plans(WSPs).- Together with the MRRD co-coordinates the “ending open defecation”programme- Is responsible for the curriculum of hygiene behavioral change interventions atcommunity level, including the quality assurance of the hygiene behavioralchange component of the CLTS programme- Is an implementing partner for the provision of hygiene promotion interventions, Isresponsible for overseeing the verification and certification of ODF status ofvillages- Coordinates national participation in International WASH events (e.g. SWA,SACOSAN etc.)  PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH- Provides support to PRRD in sustaining ODF status including verification andcertification of the ODF- Leads hygiene behavior at village level through its network of community healthvolunteers- Is responsible for the surveillance and provision of the WASH services in healthcenters  BASIC PACKAGE OF HEALTH SERVICES IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS- Are responsible for the provision and O&M of WASH services in health facilities  MINISTRY OF EDUCATION- Is responsible for overseeing the provision and rehabilitation of school WASHservices- Is responsible for the hygiene curriculum used at schools and for formulating andenforcing the WASH in schools standards  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION- Is responsible for the surveillance, provision and rehabilitation of school WASHservices according to national standards- Support schools principals and school shuras with the O&M and rehabilitation ofWASH facilities in schools- Is responsible for the effective implementation of the hygiene curriculum atschools National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 13  COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS- CDCs act as the first point of contact for rural WASH interventions at village level.CDCs are not always the implementing organization, but they facilitate thecontact between government actors and NGOs and the most relevant group ofcommunity members (e.g. school shuras, community health committees etc.)- CDCs submit requests for the provision of new, or rehabilitation of existing WASHservices to the PRRDs  NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS- Are key partners in the WSG and support and complement government actionsregarding the provision and rehabilitation of rural WASH services- Shall adhere to the principles outlined in the National Rural WASH Policy- Serve as implementing partners for the provision and rehabilitation of WASHservices at village level and to institutions like schools and health centers- Are key partners to government for providing an effective WASH response inhumanitarian situations  WASH EMERGENCY CLUSTER- The WASH emergency cluster coordinates and ensures an effective WASHresponse by WASH Cluster partners in the event of a humanitarian emergency inclose coordination and collaboration with Provincial Disaster ManagementCommittees (PDMCs) and other emergency coordinating bodies  TECHNICAL SUPPORT AGENCIES AND DONORS- Are key partners in the WSG and support government actors regarding theprovision and rehabilitation of rural WASH services both technically andfinancially 2.3 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE  Water Users and Sanitation Committees (WUSC) will be established andcompulsorily registered according to national institutional act to empowercommunity members and provide enforcing authority to the elected committeemembers. Necessary legal bases will be prepared by making improvements in theexisting legal aspects of water at source, keep the environment clean, maintain thequality of water and increase the participation of the private sector.  MRRD will prepare and implement a plan to gradually phase out directimplementation in rural water supply and sanitation schemes, and will hand overownership and responsibility for O&M of all schemes to CDCs.  A simplified and transparent procedure for the registration of WUSC will beintroduced. The procedure will ensure participation of more women, elders, maliksand school teachers, for the O&M of WASH services at village level. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 14 2.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS  Environmental screening or environmental impact assessment will be promoted andgradually enforced in all WASH projects to identify environmental concerns.Procedures will be prepared to ensure minimizing environmental damage. Ifsignificant environmental risk is identified, a more rigorous assessment and analysiswill be applied.  Technical skills will be developed within CDCs to do O&M with confidence includingthe management of excreta, wastewater and solid waste. District and Province haveto provide back-up support to enhance the internal management and technicalcapacity of the WUSCs.  In collaboration and linkages between the line ministries, the management of waterresources will be promoted along with practical mechanisms to ensure watershedmanagement, rainwater harvesting techniques, artificial recharge of groundwater,and flood resistant water and sanitation services.  Safe handling, disposal and re-use of human waste will be pursued to combatenvironmental pollution and reduce public health risks.  The use of solar pumping for community water supply will be actively promotedand scaled-up. This includes the replacement or conversion of diesel poweredpumps to solar powered pumping systems, which reduces the use of fossil fuels inthe interest of addressing climate change 2.5 WASH CLUSTER TRANSITION TO MRRD  In line with the Transformative Agenda for Humanitarian Action, a ttransitionprocess of the leadership of the WASH Cluster from an internationally-led Cluster toa nationally-led Cluster will be completed by the end of 2017. The WASH Clusterlikely will continue to be operational under the leadership of the Ru-WatSIPdepartment of the MRRD given the continued instability in Afghanistan and therecurrent natural disasters and the large number of NGOs operational in WASH inAfghanistan. The transition process will focus on further developing the nationalcapacity to effectively coordinate a response to humanitarian crises. The emphasiswill be placed on strengthening sub-national coordination and response capacitiesand includes Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities and the development ofnational sub-national WASH contingency plans. A national WASH Cluster Co-lead atRu-WatSIP will be appointed and work closely together over a two year period withthe international cluster coordinator to take over the cluster coordination role atthe end of the two years. 2.6 GLOBAL AND REGIONAL WASH EVENTSGovernment of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) is committed to work withglobal and regional partners and supporters to fulfill the national targets in WASH. Assuch, to raise the awareness and importance of WASH and advocate and fundraise forthis cause, participation of line ministries in global days of significance will be ensured.Among them, these are World Water Day, Global Hand Washing Day, World Toilet Day,SACOSAN, and the global SWA initiative. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 15 The government of Afghanistan has been committed to the decisions and declarations ofthe South Asia movements on sanitation and is an active member of SACOSAN since thefirst meeting in 2003 in Bangladesh. MRRD coordinates Afghanistan’s participation inthese international WASH initiatives and will ensure equitable participation of therelevant Ministries and stakeholders to these ongoing and future events to promote theWASH status of Afghanistan. SECTION 3.0: LEGAL ASPECT IN WASHThe human right to water will be promoted to ensure sufficient, safe, physicallyaccessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses with particular attentionto groups that face discrimination and with focus on removing barriers and closingequity gaps. The right to adequate and appropriate sanitation services will be promotedfor everyone, without discrimination.MRRD will enforce the Afghanistan Water Law, which came into force on April 26, 2009,regulates ownership, fees, rights, permits, and usage with respect to water. Article 1 ofthe Preamble of the Law stipulates its purpose: This law is to enforce the principles of Article Nine of The Constitution of Afghanistan for the purpose of conservation, equitable distribution, and the efficient and sustainable use of water resources, strengthen the national economy and secure the rights of the water users, in accordance with the principles of Islamic jurisprudence and the praiseworthy customs and traditions of the people2.Water law related information Article 19 prohibits the use of water resources without apermit, except for the following purposes: Drinking water, livelihood and other needs, ifthe total daily consumption does not exceed 5 cubic meters per household. Moreoveraccording to article 21(2) a usage license or activity permit, including for governmentprojects, is necessary in the following circumstances:  Surface and groundwater use for newly established development projects.  Disposal of wastewater into water resources.  Disposal of drainage water into water resources.  Use of water for commercial and industrial purposes.  Use of natural springs with mineral contents or hot springs for commercial purposes.  Digging and installation of shallow and deep wells for the commercial, agricultural,Industrial and urban water supply purposes.  Construction of dams and any other structures for water impoundment, when thestorage capacity exceeds 10,000 cubic meters.  Construction of structures that encroach the banks, beds, courses or protected rights-of way of streams, wetlands, Karezes [water management systems], and springs. SECTION 4.0: INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENTImplementation of WASH program and projects through CDCs that have beenimmensely successful in democratizing and decentralizing the delivery of water andsanitation services will be enhanced. At the national level, the Ru-WatSip within MRRD,MoPH and MoE will be strengthened and enhanced with core staff and budget, 2 Water Law of Afghanistan art. 1, Official Gazette No. 980, Apr. 26, 2009 National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 16 responsible for anchoring their rural WASH related programs and projects in the sector.This will include streamlining institutional mechanisms, processes, and proceduresrelated to procurement, recruitment, and training on the one hand and to designingprograms and projects on the other.The Ru-WatSIP in collaboration with the Afghanistan Institute of Rural Development(AIRD) will develop a comprehensive capacity development strategy addressing theneeds of institutional and human capacity development at the provincial, district andvillage level (CDCs, District Development Assemblies (DDA)) and water user andsanitation committee members. SECTION 5.0: MONITORING AND EVALUATIONMRRD will take the lead role in establishing and managing a WASH sector monitoringand evaluation system to ensure the require quality. Capacity will be enhanced withinMRRD to effectively collect, store, analyze disseminate and use the collected data.  WASH targets and indicators should address access to drinking water, sanitation andhygiene at household level and also in schools, health facilities and work places.  Building on the existing efforts, the WASH data bank will be maintained by Ru-WatSIP(MIS) Unit.  Information Centre will be set up at the province level by increasing the capacity ofinformation management for sectoral development projects.  Regular monitoring mechanism will be established to monitor the implementation ofthe revised rural WASH policy.  Effective participation of gender, elders, mullahs and disadvantaged ethnic groupswill be made essential to all decision making process regarding WASH promotionservices.All WASH partners including MRRD and other related government agencies shallmonitor and evaluate their WASH interventions using the indicators presented in Annex2. National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 17 ANNEXES ANNEX 1: EXISTING MANUALS, POLICIES AND GUIDELINES1. Implementation Manual for Low Cost Household Latrines (2014), Ministry of RuralRehabilitation and Development, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation (Ru-WATSIP).2. Terms of References of WSG, WTWG, STWG and HTWG.3. Sanitation Promotion through Afghan Context Community Led Total Sanitation(ACCLTS) and Improvement of Existing Excreta Disposal Technologies (2013). Ministryof Rural Rehabilitation & Development, Rural Water Supply and Irrigation Programme(Ru-WatSIP).4 National Hygiene Promotion Strategy (2015-2020), Ministry of Public Health.5. Afghanistan National Rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Policy 2010,Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation andIrrigation (Ru-WATSIP).6. Access to Adequate Quantity and Quality of Water is a Basic Human Right. A StrategicPolicy Framework for the Water Sector (2004).7. National Drinking Water Quality Standards (2013): provides details of water qualitystandards to be applied all rural water supply system.8. Rural Water, Sanitation and hygiene Implementation manual version2, VOLUME 1AND 29. Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy for Afghanistan-200310. National Policy on Drinking Water Fluoride and Arsenic Mitigation (2013), Ministryof Public Health. ANNEX 2: WASH GUIDELINES Implementing partners should strive to meet the WASH guidelines listed below andreport on the indicators provided when designing rural WASH interventions. Rural Water Supply:  Access to 30 Lpcpd quantity of water available. Minimum of 15 lpcd in emergencies  Maximum 15 households to be covered per hand-pump  Safe access to water within 250 meters of residence and not take up more than 60minutes per round trip  Number of water points implies with the national water quality standards National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 18  Functionality maintained over 70%  No. of water samples tested. Improved Sanitation:  Number of villages declared open defecation free including number of families.  Number of latrines improved or new sanitary latrines constructed. Reported improved latrines should fulfill the following salient features:  Prevents flies from getting to the faecal deposits and back to the environment.  Separates excreta from human contact.  Ventilated with reduced bad smelling.  Children, female and environment friendly.  Does not contaminate ground and surface water.  Ensures user privacy, especially for women and girls. Hygiene Promotion  Percentage of households in target areas practicing correct use of recommendedhousehold water treatment technologies.  Infant excreta disposed safely, followed by hand-washing with water and soap.  Family members have a practice of hand washing with soap at critical times: beforecooking and eating, after defecation, and post defecation cleaning of infants andchildren.  Number of health facilities has an access to improved latrine with hand-washingfacilities.  Number of schools with adequate basic gender sensitive and inclusive WASH facilities (hand washing facilities with soap, safe drinking water, functional toilets and MHM facilities)  Number of district government staff and community workers/volunteers trained onthe skills and knowledge of hygiene promotion at community level. ANNEX 3: RURAL WASH MIS REPORTING FORMAT ( Will be provided in soft copy) National Rural WASH Policy 2016-2020 Page 19