Photo: True ODF status means that all use toilet, at all times. This is not to be taken for granted. The toilet such as above, are still unfortunate reality: this toilet may or may not be used by all family members due to lack of privacy. For more, see the RWSSP-WN Briefs 2016 and RWSSP-WN Briefs 2018 for a range of quantitative studies on the use of toilets.
Towards Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene - Post-ODF Strategies
ODF is declared after the District WASH Coordination Committee and its monitoring team, sometimes independent one, have agreed that the Ward (earlier Village Development Committee) or municipality is ready to be declared. In case of the entire district being declared ODF, the Regional WASH Coordination Committee shall monitor and approve hat the district can be declared.
The achievements should be sustainable. Maintaining the ODF status should be followed up along with other hygiene and sanitation behaviour change related issues. As per the spirit of the National Sanitation and Hygiene Master Plan (insert link), institutions, schools, communities and municipalities should continue to monitor the ODF status in their respective areas under the leadership of the local government institutions (mainly Ward WASH Coordination Committees and Municipality WASH Coordination Committees).
In practice, post-ODF activities involve the upgrading of toilets , practicing water and food hygiene behaviour such as hand washing with soap at critical times so it becomes a norm, and undertaking regular waste management . Household and environmental sanitation is further enhanced by attaining the status of a "clean and healthy village” and ultimately a ”Total Sanitized Ward/Municipality" is declared.
To sustain this behaviour, refresher trainings, exposure visits, networking, documentation and publicity, etc. will be carried out from time to time by RWSSP-WN. The region and the district also support the implementation and monitoring of the program activities.