ABSTRACT
Lack of access to WASH has a particularly severe impact on the health, dignity and quality of life of community members who experience difficulties as a result of disability, ageing, or chronic illnesses like HIV. This can also affect other members of their households acting as their care givers. Over 36 million people were living with HIV worldwide in 2015; currently, one in ten people are over 60 years old and one billion people globally have a disability. Disability prevalence is likely to increase. As people around the world live longer lives, they are more are likely to experience health conditions that lead to impairments. Within an increasingly enabling policy environment for inclusive programming, this chapter explores how to ensure that disabled, older and people living with HIV are not left behind. It demonstrates that there is growing evidence on good practice for infrastructure solutions, but less guidance on how to deliver sustainable and inclusive WASH services as a core component of mainstream WASH policy and programmes. It sets out key concepts of inclusive practice in relation to disability, ageing and HIV and WASH, and demonstrates how these principles can be applied in practice through national policy, programme design, resourcing and monitoring. Throughout each section examples of what can be achieved and how are used to illustrate the principles and practices. Evidence and examples are drawn from policies and practice at international, national and community levels. The chapter includes learning on what must be considered, what are the common pitfalls and mechanisms to avoid these.
