The Sustainability Monitoring Framework is a tool to optimise the chances of WASH programmes delivering sustainable services.

As of 2017 all new Dutch-funded WASH programmes will include a sustainability clause. This clause makes project implementers accountable for the sustainability of their programmes. Sustainability checks have to be carried out to provide information on the use and functionality of WASH services. First findings from UNICEF show that it has been very difficult to compare or interpret results on sustainability checks, since standardised measures and tools have not been used.

IRC has organised an event on November 16^th 2016 to discuss the monitoring of sustainability. At this event Angela, the PME Manager of WAI, has presented the Sustainability Monitoring Framework (SMF) as a promising tool for this. Since current functionality is not a guarantee for sustainability, the SMF is developed to measure the likelihood of the programmes being sustainable, following the FIETS-principles. This will give the opportunity to monitor whether the FIETS-principles have been addressed and picked-up, to identify priority-areas and therewith to increase the likelihood of sustainability of WASH services.

The development of the SMF is currently in its final stage; the WAU is adjusting the data analysis tool to make it more user-friendly. After piloting this, the SMF can be rolled out within programmes as a way to monitor (the likelihood of) sustainability. 

Read more about the SMF and the IRC event. This includes a short video and a blog with a summary of the major issues that have been raised during the plenary discussion with the speakers and participants.