Open Defecation Free Malawi Strategy 2011-2015
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Date
2011-01-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Malawi Government
Abstract
The Government of Malawi is committed to providing adequate, reliable and sustainable sanitation
and hygiene promotion services to the people of Malawi to attain its vision of ensuring “Sanitation
for All in Malawi”. With 11% of the population still defecating in the open, The ODF Malawi 2015
Strategy has been developed to ensure complete elimination of open defecation in rural Malawi by
2015. The strategy compliments a number of other strategic initiatives being undertaken by
Government for both the urban and rural communities that include the development of National 10
Year Sanitation and Hygiene Investment Plan and Strategy, and the Sanitation and Hygiene Master
Plan for Low income areas.
The ODF Malawi, 2015 Strategy is in line with one of the provisions within National Sanitation Policy
2008 which states that “Open defecation shall not be tolerated in Malawi”. This is in addition to
creating public awareness on improved sanitation, creating effective linkages between all relevant
sanitation stakeholders and promotion of integrated and holistic planning, development and design
of sanitation and hygiene promotions initiatives and programmes. The policy also stresses the need
for undertaking relevant training and capacity building of government staff, school children, teachers
and community members in sanitation and hygiene promotion related issues. The strategy basically
aims at aligning, synchronizing and harmonizing sanitation and hygiene initiatives and interventions
towards meeting the goals of the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) II. In addition,
it is meant to guide the country in achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Numbers 1, 3,
4, 5,6 and 7 by the year 2015.