UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation

The United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation (SWS) unites the UN system’s work towards a world with access, availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all people and the planet. It provides a system-wide approach for UN entities to work collaboratively on water and sanitation, not as a sector in a ‘silo’, but holistically to address the inter-related cross-sectoral aspects of water and sanitation.

The goal of the SWS is to enhance the coordination and delivery of water and sanitation priorities in support of countries to accelerate progress on national plans and priorities, internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, the realization of human rights, and transformative solutions to current and future challenges for the benefit of people and planet. Its aim is to fully operationalize inter-agency coordination, capitalize on reforms of the United Nations development system, and leverage upscaled water and sanitation action of UN entities to provide more strategic, effective, coherent, and efficient support to Member States.