SDG 6- Clean Water & Sanitation: A summary of how the FRESH Framework and school programs can help to achieve and monitor this UN Goal

This summary explains how various school-based and school-linked programs support global actions to achieve this goal. The achievement of this goal involves five sectors; including Development Aid, Welfare/Social Protection, Finance/Taxation, Employment and Education & Training, The FRESH Framework and other sources enables us to identify six school programs and four multi-component approaches as well as the indicators related to those school strategies, Five global initiatives. involving schools as a key partner in achieving this goal have also been identified in this summary.

Excerpts from UN Description of this Goal:

Goal #6 aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.Water and sanitation are at the very core of sustainable development, critical to the survival of people and the planet. Goal 6 not only addresses the issues relating to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, but also the quality and sustainability of water resources worldwide.

In 2015, 4.9 billion people globally used an improved sanitation facility; 2.4 billion did not. Among those lacking adequate sanitation were 946 million people without any facilities at all, who continued to practise open defecation.

More progress has been made in access to drinking water. In 2015, 6.6 billion people, or 91 per cent of the global population, used an improved drinking water source, versus 82 per cent in 2000. Despite that improvement, an estimated 663 million people were using unimproved water sources or surface water that year.

Holistic management of the water cycle means taking into account the level of “water stress”, calculated as the ratio of total fresh water withdrawn by all major sectors to the total renewable fresh water resources in a particular country or region. Currently, water stress affects more than 2 billion people around the world,

Integrated water resources management, one of the follow-up actions to the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation), aims to address this urgent situation.

Total official flows for water and sanitation were $10 billion in 2014, of which total aid flows from DAC donors amounted to $8 billion. Aid for water and sanitation nearly doubled as a share of ODA during the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981-1990)

Effective water and sanitation management also depends on the participation of stakeholders. According to a 2013-2014 Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water survey, 83 per cent of the 94 countries surveyed reported that procedures for stakeholder participation were clearly defined in law or policy

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School Approaches and Programs that address this Goal:

There are several school multi-intervention programs and single interventions that promote clean water, sanitation and hygiene. These programs are often grouped and coordinated in these multi-component approaches:



These school-based and school-linked  policies, programs and practices are effective in supporting this goal:


The core components of the FRESH Framework also address this goal in these ways:

Schools help to develop these skills, values within students related to this goal:

Current & Recent Global/UN Initiatives to Achieve this Goal:

Current & Recent Global School Initiatives related to this Goal:

Overview of UN Targets for this Goal:

6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity

6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes

6.a By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies

6.b Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

School-Related Indicators from the FRESH Framework & School Programs/ Approaches

The following indicators are included in the FRESH Framework, its thematic applications on various health, social, safety and economic problems and other sources or updates on the FRESH Monitoring and Evaluation Guidance. The indicators describe the type, frequency and data sources of monitoring that can be done. As well, the FRESH Framework provides suggestions for monitoring at the national and school levels.


As well, the progress being made in relation to the implementation and maintenance of these core components and cross-cutting themes in the FRESH Framework can be monitored in relation to this goal:

These school-related organizational and systems capacities should also be monitored in relation to this goal: