Tajikistan is known for its hydro resources. Nevertheless, the sanitation services across the country remain poor and unequally distributed. The access of rural people to safe drinking water and sewerage hardly reaches 60% and 2% respectively.

Lack of coordination among different state institutions, overlapping functions, absence of clear division of roles and responsibilities between policy, regulation and operation as well as deteriorating infrastructure and severe lack of human and financial resources are some of the key issues.

Poor access to water and sanitation services is a major cause of the spread of water borne diseases and contamination of the environment. The mortality rate attributed to exposure to unsafe Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services is 2.7 per 100’000 people – the highest in Central Asia.

Outcome 1: Medical facilities provide safe sanitation services to their personnel and users/patients.

Outcome 2: Relevant state institutions promote decentralised sanitation technologies.

Risultati principali attesi:  

• Completion of running and construction of a new decentralised waste treatment system (DEWATS)
• Responsible authorities have knowledge and capacity to manage the DEWATS sustainably (i.e. through capacity building of the administration of the health facilities directly responsible for O&M of the systems, etc.)
• Evidence base for introduction of DEWATS in Tajikistan is created (i.e. through comprehensive assessment/documentation)
• Advocacy, capacity building and training of various stakeholders is conducted
• Revision of university curricular on DEWATS and contribution to the revision of standards and norms

The project will coordinate with key development partners (WB, ADB, EU, EBRD, UNDP, USAID, JICA, UNICEF, ISW, AKDN) through existing coordination platforms (e.g. Development Coordination Council Working Group on Water and Climate Change; Coordination Working Group on the implementation of the Water Sector Reform Program, etc.) to share and scale up the gained experience at national level.

SCO will promote cooperation with other Swiss-funded WASH projects through peer exchange, sharing best practices and knowledge transfer.

Fase 1 01.12.2022 - 30.11.2024   (Completed)