September 7, 2025 BY
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In parts of the world where clean toilets, proper waste management, and safe hygiene practices are standard, people often take sanitation for granted.

Yet for billions of people, these basics remain out of reach. The World Health Organization’s Guidelines on Sanitation and Health make it clear: poor sanitation isn’t just inconvenient—it’s deadly. Unsafe sanitation fuels disease, undermines child survival, harms education, and slows economic progress.

This blog post unpacks the key lessons from the WHO guidelines, showing why safe sanitation matters, what makes a sanitation system safe, and how governments, businesses, and communities can work together to improve health through sustainable solutions.

Why Sanitation Matters for Health

AfroECO Community Impact

At its core, sanitation is about separating people from human waste. When this fails, the consequences are devastating:

  • Diarrheal disease: Still one of the top killers of children under five, often caused by contaminated water or poor hygiene.
  • Neglected tropical diseases: Worm infections and other diseases spread rapidly in areas with poor waste management.
  • Malnutrition: Children in unsanitary environments are more vulnerable to undernutrition and stunted growth.
  • Antimicrobial resistance: Open defecation and untreated waste allow resistant pathogens to circulate.

The World Health Organization highlights that sanitation is a public health foundation equal in importance to clean water and vaccines. Without it, progress in other areas of health is undermined.

What Makes a Sanitation System Safe?

The guidelines stress that safety is not just about toilets. A truly safe sanitation system protects health at every step of the “service chain”:

  1. Containment—Toilets and latrines that keep human waste away from people.
  2. Emptying and Transport—Systems for safely removing and moving waste without exposing workers or communities.
  3. Treatment—Waste must be processed to remove harmful pathogens.
  4. Reuse or Disposal—Final handling of treated waste, whether through composting, energy recovery, or safe disposal.

Additional elements such as handwashing stations, menstrual hygiene management, and worker safety are vital parts of a complete system.

Key Recommendations from WHO

The guidelines lay out priorities for action:

1. Universal Access

Everyone, everywhere, must have access to safe toilets. This includes rural areas, urban slums, schools, and healthcare facilities. No one should be left behind.

2. Risk Management Across the Service Chain

Governments and service providers need to identify health risks at every stage of the sanitation system and take steps to manage them. For example, protecting waste collectors with proper equipment is as important as building toilets.

3. Integration with Health

Sanitation cannot be managed in isolation. It must be integrated with water supply, hygiene promotion, infection control, and broader development planning.

4. Role of the Health Sector

Health authorities should take a more active role in sanitation by:

  • Supporting community campaigns
  • Monitoring disease risks
  • Ensuring healthcare facilities themselves have adequate sanitation

The Human Side of Sanitation

Safe sanitation isn’t just about microbes and systems—it’s about people’s lives and dignity. The WHO guidelines highlight:

  • Gender equality: Women and girls need safe, private sanitation facilities to manage menstruation and avoid risks of harassment or violence.
  • Education: Children are more likely to stay in school when facilities are safe, clean, and accessible.
  • Workplace productivity: Businesses benefit when workers are healthy and spend less time sick.

By framing sanitation as a human right, the guidelines push governments to prioritize equity and inclusion.

Behaviour Change is Essential

Infrastructure alone is not enough. Toilets won’t improve health if they’re not used or maintained. The WHO stresses the importance of behaviour change strategies, including:

  • Public campaigns to promote consistent toilet use
  • Education on hygiene, particularly handwashing with soap
  • Community engagement to reduce stigma and increase adoption
  • Involving local leaders to build trust and drive cultural acceptance

When paired with safe infrastructure, behavior change ensures long-term success.

Policy and Governance

The guidelines emphasize that sanitation systems work best when supported by strong policy and governance:

  • Government leadership: Sanitation should be recognized as a national development priority, not left to NGOs or communities alone.
  • Financing models: Affordable and sustainable systems require investment, subsidies for the poorest, and mechanisms for long-term maintenance.
  • Regulation: Standards must be set for waste treatment, worker safety, and environmental protection.

Without these governance frameworks, progress is often fragmented and unsustainable.

Research and Innovation Needs

The WHO identifies several knowledge gaps where more research is needed:

  • Understanding the full health impact of different sanitation technologies
  • Better ways to manage pathogens in waste treatment and reuse
  • Gender-sensitive approaches to sanitation access
  • Links between sanitation and environmental sustainability

Innovations such as decentralized waste treatment, circular economy solutions, and mobile monitoring tools are promising but need scaling and support.

Moving Towards Sustainable Development

Sanitation is directly linked to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

  • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
  • SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 5: Gender Equality
  • SDG 1: No Poverty

By investing in sanitation, governments can accelerate progress across these goals. AfroECO, for example, supports this mission by providing eco-friendly sanitation and cleaning solutions that protect both people and the environment.

Conclusion

Safe sanitation saves lives. It prevents disease, promotes dignity, and supports sustainable development. The WHO’s Guidelines on Sanitation and Health provide a roadmap for governments, businesses, and communities to build systems that are inclusive, safe, and sustainable.

For AfroECO and partners working across Africa, these lessons are especially time-sensitive. By adopting eco-friendly sanitation practices, promoting behavior change, and supporting policy frameworks, we can build healthier communities and a healthier planet.

Download the Full Guidelines

Want to explore the detailed recommendations?
Download the WHO Guidelines on Sanitation and Health (PDF)