PROJECT MOTIVATION
WASH IN INSTITUTIONS
Safe and reliable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services is fundamental to human health and dignity. In schools, WASH supports attendance and learning. In health care facilities, it enables quality care and enhances patient satisfaction. Despite its importance, WASH in institutions remains under-measured and under-prioritized.
MEASUREMENT MATTERS
Measurement drives action. Global monitoring has advanced household WASH, but tracking for institutional settings lags behind. Without reliable data, decision-makers cannot identify gaps or evaluate policy impact. The INWISE Project is closing this gap by developing tools that assess whether WASH services in schools and healthcare facilities are adequate and accessible for all.
STUDY DESIGN
Item development: Candidate survey questions were identified through a review of existing instruments and consultation with WASH experts.
Survey refinement: Tools are being tested across diverse sites. At each site, cognitive interviews with students, patients, and staff help ensure items are clearly understood and locally relevant.
Validation: Surveys are being administered to hundreds of respondents and paired with facility assessments at each site, allowing comparisons between WASH insecurity and traditional supply-side indicators.
Building on proven methods from our work on household water insecurity, the INWISE Project is using a multi-phase design to develop and validate tools for assessing WASH insecurity in schools and healthcare facilities.