Ethiopia

Response

The WASH response will be articulated around 6 activities:

1. Emergency water interventions, including water trucking, emergency water systems (EMWAT kits) and chlorination. Water trucking will be used only as a last-resort intervention when no other intervention is available. In light of the cholera outbreak, chlorination will be a prioritized intervention across the country in 2024.
2. Durable water interventions: Rehabilitation and maintenance of water schemes; pipe-line expansion; new water point development. In 2024 sustainable interventions will be prioritized from the start of any new emergency.
3. Emergency sanitation: Construction of emergency latrine, bathing, and handwashing facilities. This will include different types of latrines, such as VIP latrines, semi-permanent latrines, and also emergency trench latrines according to the needs and context.
4. Sanitation and hygiene promotion will go along with risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) activities for people affected by or at risk of disease outbreaks.
5. Provision/distribution of lifesaving WASH NFIs will be distributed to affected population to facilitate water storage and household level water treatment.

6. WASH in institutions in humanitarian settings: WASH in health care facilities and WASH in schools.

   In 2024 the WASH cluster response will use approaches that have proven their value in a very dynamic and fluid context with important humanitarian needs.
   

   The WASH cluster will continue to position WASH as a lead sector for “nexus approaches” in Ethiopia. WASH cluster partners will be requested to prioritize sustainable WASH interventions from the start of emergency responses. In parallel the cluster will expand its collaboration with development partners to encourage these partners to address the underlying drivers of humanitarian needs. This will be particularly important in 2024 when several contexts will benefit from a “nexus approach”: in conflict affected areas with significant WASH infrastructure damages where water point rehabilitation is critical; in drought affected areas where new resilient water point development and strategic borehole rehabilitation will improve access to water; and in areas affected by recurring diseases outbreaks that require investment in WASH systems to reduce transmission in a sustainable way.
   

   Rapid response mechanisms remain critical in a volatile environment and the WASH cluster will work with RRM coordination mechanisms .
   

   In IDP collective sites WASH partners continue to recommend implementation of the “full WASH package” including water, sanitation, hygiene and NFIs. A lead WASH partner is identified for each IDP collective site. This allows IDPs to benefit from the WASH services they need as well as making the monitoring of the response, and hence its quality, easier to manage.

   
   The WASH cluster partners will focus on people centered approaches in the WASH cluster’s response. Technical specifications of WASH facilities will be designed in collaboration with affected people to incorporate their specific needs and protection perspective. The WASH response will also implement measures to prevent SEA and GBV such as ensuring proximity of water points to the user community to minimize the risk of exposure of women and girls to violence. Implementing the WASH minimum standards which promote protection; providing adequate orientation for partners to consider protection in their plans and responses and capturing best lessons from all WASH humanitarian responses. The design and style of latrines should be inclusive and consider gender, age and physical disabilities. Latrines will be barrier-free, located close to living areas to minimize security threats to users, segregated for males and females, and have an inside lock. The WASH cluster will reinforce collaboration with the Protection cluster and its areas of responsibility and develop links with disability-focused organizations and women’s group to learn from their experience.
   

   The cluster will continue to strengthen inter-cluster intersectoral (ICSC) initiatives with other clusters. The ICSC includes joint geographic targeting, implementing minimum packages for all.
   

   Sectors and joint monitoring: Access to safe drinking water and availability of reliable sanitation facilities will significantly contribute to addressing challenges in Health, Nutrition, ES/NFI and Protection sectors.