National Sanitation and Hygiene Policy.

This Sanitation and Hygiene Policy is a nation-wide document born from the absence of a national policy providing clear direction for the sector needing to professionalize sanitation and hygiene service delivery and reach universal coverage to reduce the incidence of disease and improve health, happiness and well-being for all in Bhutan. The Policy therefore shall cover sanitation and hygiene of all areas in Bhutan, including households, schools, institutions and public places, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and other vulnerable groups.
The overall goal of the National Sanitation and Hygiene Policy is to achieve universal coverage and access to safe sanitation and hygiene services for a healthy, happy and productive society. To achieve the goal, it particularly focuses on (i) providing good guidance to all stakeholders at both central and local levels concerned with sanitation and hygiene; (ii) being a starting point for program planning, budgeting, and eventual field implementation; (iii) applying principles of equity, non-discrimination and progressive realization in setting targets and commitments; (iv) integrating the policy's goal with others relating to preventive health, environmental protection, waste management, and overall development goals; and (v) specifying clear responsibilities and commitments for implementation of the sanitation and hygiene programs, usually at local Government level.
Strategic objectives of the Policy are as follows (i) achieve universal coverage and access to safely managed services; (ii) adopt appropriate technology for safely managed sanitation systems; (iii) consolidate existing institutional arrangement for effective and efficient coordination and service delivery in the sanitation and hygiene sector; (iv) develop a sustainable and efficient financing mechanism for safe sanitation and hygiene services for all; (v) strengthen capabilities to plan, implement and manage sanitation and hygiene initiatives including Behavior Change Communication at all levels; (vi) strengthen the regulatory environment for compliance to standards and guidelines; (vii) strengthen monitoring mechanisms.
In order to deliver uniform level of services throughout the country and avoid duplication of activities leading to wastage of resources, it is essential to build on the existing good practices and improve the existing institutional set up with clear roles and responsibilities for key stakeholders at all levels. For this reason, the Government shall establish a High Level Committee for Sanitation and Hygiene as the basic body for decision making, overall guidance and monitoring. On the field, the relevant agencies shall promote active community participation in planning, implementation and maintenance of sanitation and hygiene services with particular efforts to include representatives from potentially disadvantaged groups to ensure their needs and preferences are taken into account.