National Sanitation Strategy 2010/11 - 2014/15.

The Namibia’s National Sanitation Strategy for 2010 to 2015 is a nation-wide document developed to set out a course of actions and activities for the implementation of sanitation in a coordinated manner and this Strategy is an essential reference document for all relevant stakeholders playing a role in the sanitation sector. The government has acknowledged the need for both a rural and urban strategy to address sanitation in Namibia. The Sanitation Sector Vision is “A healthy environment and improved quality of life by providing Sanitation services for urban and rural households” and the consequent Mission aims at providing, with minimal impact on the environment, acceptable, affordable and sustainable sanitation services for Namibian households.
Main target of the Strategy is to reach 66% of the Namibian population in 2015, by halving the proportion of people without adequate sustainable access to basic sanitation, reaching 57% coverage in rural and 80% in urban areas. The overall target shall be reached through the achievement of 20 objectives within 6 Strategic Focus Areas. The Strategic Focus Areas, with the related objectives, are the following (1) Water supply and sanitation (WATSAN) sector coordination including (i) improved coordination amongst all sanitation stakeholders at central, regional and local levels; (ii) legislative and regulatory frameworks developed, harmonized and communicated; (iii) developed set of technical sanitation guidelines; and (iv) appropriate performance management system and structures in place. (2) Institutional capacity building including (i) strong leadership commitment and support at central, regional and local levels; (ii) sufficient and competent staff in place at all levels; (iii) sufficient physical resources provided at all levels; and (iv) sufficient sanitation sector funding for the execution of all initiatives. (3) Community education and participation in hygiene and sanitation including (i) effective and integrated community awareness, education and training in sanitation; (ii) effective community participation for hygiene behavior changes together with a collective community decisions collection and treatment systems are proposed; and (iii) local practical skills in construction, operation and maintenance of all sanitation facilities. (4) Construction of sanitation systems including (i) maximum use of local resources in planning projects; (ii) improved sanitation coverage at residential, educational, health, commercial and other public sites; and (iii) improved functioning of water-borne sanitation systems. (5) Operation and maintenance, performance management and enforcement including (i) all sanitation facilities, based on clear guidelines; (ii) functional performance management; and (iii) enforcement of standards and regulations for compliance. (6) Socio-economic-environmental outputs and outcomes.
To make agriculture more sustainable, the Strategy proposes the re-use of treated effluents for irrigation; re-use of bio solids (composted sludge) as fertilizer for agriculture; production of bio-gas as source of energy.
Rural areas, regarding the theme of sanitation, shall be followed by a local structure composed of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Extension Officers (EOs) in implementing sanitation projects and the number of EOs required will depend on sanitation needs in each Region. Furthermore, in rural communities the aim is focusing on household sanitation. In most cases dry sanitation technologies will be likely outcome for rural households.
The recommendations included in the document shall be supported in a joint approach adopted by Ministries, Regional and Local Authorities, Communities, Private and Non-Government Organizations and Donors to achieve the initiatives set out in the five-year sanitation implementation time-frame.