WASH and nutrition in Indonesia Indonesia continues to have dire levels of open defecation (51 million people) and stunting (9 million children affected). UNICEF WASH and nutrition teams jointly examined the associations between sanitation and stunting using UNICEF data to identify factors associated with stunting among children 0–23 months old. The combination of unimproved latrines and untreated drinking water was associated with an increased probability of stunting in Indonesia compared with improved conditions. The map below shows the prevalence of stunting and lack of access to improved sanitation. Strengthening the evidence base on WASH and stunting linkages in Indonesia helped raise this as a key issue in the Government’s development agenda. Based on the analysis, UNICEF is examining how best to integrate WASH interventions into a broader multi-sectoral approach to reduce stunting in Indonesia, as well as into the community-based management of acute malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara Province. UNICEF has used the results to strengthen a social media advocacy campaign (<www.tinjutinja.com>) and create public information infographics used in training and advocacy materials.
Source: Torlesse, H., Cronin, A.A., Sebayang, S.K., Nandy, R. Determinants of stunting in Indonesian children: evidence from a cross-sectional survey indicate a prominent role for the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in stunting reduction. BMC Public Health, submitted.
Nutrition Strategy and Action Plan references WASH and was launched with UNICEF support at the first-ever National Nutrition Forum in 2015. And, in South Sudan, the UNICEF WASH team worked with nutrition and education sectors to develop a WASH in Nut Strategy to provide
an integrated approach to the nutritional crisis facing the country. At the regional level, UNICEF revised its WASH in Nut Strategy for West and Central Africa in 2015; eight countries have begun roll-out.
10 | UNICEF Annual Results Report 2015 | WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE