Introduction to WASH for development – 2019

Inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services impact on the health, livelihoods and wellbeing of many families around the world. The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) Report indicates that there are more than 844 million people do not have access to a basic drinking water service. While more than 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation services, with more than 892 million people worldwide still practicing open defecation (JMP, 2017).

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG6) – ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all – underscores the importance of improving WASH and the impact that will have on achieving a healthy and sustainable world.

This online training course will provide those starting their career or preparing for project work in the WASH sector with the fundamental principles and approaches to better engage and support efforts to work towards achieving SDG6.

Students are introduced to the core principles for planning, designing and implementing activities to improve sustainable and equitable use of safely managed water and sanitation services, and to improve hygiene behaviours.

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Learning objectives

After successfully completing this online course participants will be able to:

  • describe the social and economic differences in accessing improved WASH facilities and services
  • explain the breadth of health impacts from inadequate WASH and how they can be prevented
  • appreciate the historical development of sanitation
  • describe the different environmental, social and technical facets of urban and rural sanitation and current approaches
  • explain current thinking and practice in aiming to achieve sustainable WASH services through good technical, institutional and economic principles
  • discuss integrating behaviour change in WASH and understand the importance and current thinking on hygiene promotion
  • understand the key issues in the WASH sector that will facilitate achieving SDG6.

Who should enrol?

The course caters to those who are working in, or supporting work in, low- and middle-income countries, and is ideal for professionals working in:

  • civil society or non-government organisations
  • government agencies
  • international development donor agencies
  • consultancies.

The online course includes:

  • WASH-related health and social impacts of inadequate services
  • an overview of the historical evolution, approaches and technologies appropriate for sanitation in both rural and urban areas
  • water supply/service approaches, and affordability, quality, quantity and effective operations and maintenance systems
  • hygiene promotion and behaviour change integration into WASH programs.

Organisations benefit from having staff participate in this course as it builds their capacity to effectively implement WASH programs.

Participants will also be introduced to a global group of participants, for peer-to-peer sharing of scenarios, challenges and initiatives, as well as future network building.

Online classes will be held during daylight hours, Australian Eastern Standard Time. Approximately four hours per week will be required to study materials and participate in online classes.

You will also need access to a computer with:

  • a minimum internet speed of 256 kb/ second (to participate in live classrooms)
  • a headset with built-in microphone
  • either Microsoft Windows (version XP or greater; Windows Vista, Windows 7 or 8) or Apple OSX (version 10.2 or greater).

Permission to download, install and run software on your computer may be required.

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