Rural Sanitation and CLTS Monitoring and Evaluation: Experiences of Post-Certification Monitoring in West and Central Africa

This Sanitation and Hygiene Hunter-Gatherer Thematic Notes discusses the challenges and potential solutions in relation to post-ODF monitoring in West and Central Africa. The ultimate goal of CLTS is to end open defecation (OD) and sustain an open defecation free (ODF) status. Maintaining ODF status and moving up the sanitation ladder is closely linked to the sustainability of interventions. While the monitoring and evaluation during the process of CLTS until certification is well-defined for all countries, the monitoring and evaluation of the maintaining of ODF status is a major problem and is central to the sustainabilityof achievements in rural sanitation. This note is a summary review of the constraints and challenges, existing or potential solutions and emerging issues in relation to post-certification monitoring. It is based on the sharing of experiences from West and Central African countries participating in the workshop mentioned above. Although it is limited in terms, it can serve as a basis for a detailed study contributing to the understanding of the thematics for sustainability of CLTS specifically and of rural sanitation in general.