Establishing a policy, institutional, and regulatory framework (also referred to as the “enabling environment”) that embraces citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS) is a fundamental step in designing an effective urban sanitation program.

Governments are usually at the helm of this overarching exercise, which requires coordinating the interests and abilities of a wide range of actors, both public and private. These include agencies and/or organizations who formulate sanitation policies, plan and execute national and local strategies, deliver and regulate services, and monitor performance.

Each of these actors, while different, need three commonalities: (i) a clearly defined mandate of their responsibilities, (ii) the capacity to do this mandate with access to adequate resources and management skills, and (iii) a clear framework of accountability for delivering results. Together these form a good foundation or enabling environment for inclusive sanitation investments.

Many countries, however, have institutions and organizations working in silos. Sewered services and wastewater treatment are typically compartmentalized and supported by the national or regional government, while non-sewered sanitation is often left to under-funded local government agencies and individual households. This disconnect needs to be addressed, along with any other systemic weaknesses affecting the enabling environment.

In this webinar, experts will discuss the ins and outs of the CWIS enabling environment, as well as the prevailing challenges that impede institutional reforms and having a more robust, collaborative space for CWIS projects. After the webinar, participants should be able to explain to sanitation decision-makers what policies, institutional arrangements, and regulations are necessary to implement CWIS.

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