Support climate ‘shift’ and governance in the WASH Sector

Billions of people still lack access to safe water and sanitation. Climate change and weak governance make the challenges even greater. This global programme – a flagship initiative from UNICEF and IVL – supports over 50 countries in building stronger, more inclusive and climate-resilient WASH systems.

Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is critical for achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals and realising the human rights to water and sanitation. However, 2.2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, and 3.5 billion do not have access to safely managed sanitation. Weak governance, systemic bottlenecks, and poor service sustainability persist as key challenges, with 30–50% of WASH projects failing within 2–5 years. The global burden is particularly heavy on vulnerable populations, including women, girls, and people with disabilities. To respond, UNICEF aims to support 450 million children and their families with water security solutions by 2030. Achieving these goals requires strong systems and governance.

A joint effort for change

The programme Support climate ‘shift’ and governance in the WASH Sector is the flagship initiative of the UNICEF-IVL partnership, launched in 2025. It builds on a decade-long collaboration between UNICEF and SIWI, now hosted at IVL, which brings proven expertise, regional presence in Latin America and in the MENA region, and integrated water-climate technical capabilities.

The programme supports more than 80 sector processes in 50+ countries by strengthening WASH governance and accountability, improving enabling environments, and building institutional capacity. Interventions are demand-driven and include technical support to UNICEF headquarters, regional and country offices, as well as in-country missions. The programme also supports the development of tools, knowledge products, and global advocacy efforts.

Activities span regulation and monitoring, service delivery models, sustainability checks, and inclusive planning for schools, health facilities, and fragile contexts. Regional initiatives in the MENA region, Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia and the Pacific, and West and Central Africa deepen the programme's impact through targeted support and learning exchange.

By embedding equity, inclusion, and resilience into WASH systems, the partnership helps countries close service gaps, reach the most vulnerable, and build sustainable and climate-resilient services.