Investing in Inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) - Lessons for disability and older age inclusion from the Central Sulawesi response

This report describes the implementation and findings on the inclusion of people with disabilities and older people in humanitarian Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH) programming following the Central Sulawesi earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction in 2018. The research was conducted by Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Indonesia and the Philippines (ASB) in partnership with the Working Group of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), Central Sulawesi and Center for Health Policy and Management, University of Gadjah Mada (CHPM), Yogyakarta.

The research is based on survey responses from 26 WASH actors and interviews and focus group discussions with target beneficiaries. Areas of opportunity to improve disability and older age inclusion identified through the research include: wider adoption and scaling up of existing practices alongside better linkages between wider response initiatives, such as on data, and with the WASH cluster; building on donor commitments to disability and older age inclusion and ensuring they are reflected in work ‘on the ground’ and are properly resourced; better consideration of experiences that may be common to both older people and people with disabilities and where these may diverge; and the importance of further mainstreaming inclusion objectives across organisations’ mandates and work.