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Government launches National Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy 2022–2027

Staff Reporter THE government has officially launched the National Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy (NSHS) 2022–2027, which seeks to tackle the country’s sanitation and hygiene challenges through affordable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly solutions. The Minister of Agriculture, Inge Zaamwani, revealed that the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, formulated the strategy following Cabinet’s approval in 2022. “The NSHS 2022-2027 aims to align with the Water Resources Management Act, 2013 (Act No. 11 of 2013); the Communication Strategy for Eliminating Open Defecation in Namibia (ODFN) 2015/16-2017/18; Namibia Sanitation Situational Report of 2009; the Water Supply and Sanitation Policy (WSASP) of 2008; National Development Plans and National Standards for Dry Sanitation which set out the GRN’s approach of addressing the sanitation and hygiene challenges for all Namibian households with minimal impact on the environment through acceptable, affordable and sustainable solutions, and ensure a healthy and safe environment and improved quality of life,” Zaamwani explained, speaking at the launch of the NSHS. The Minister noted that the NSHS 2022–2027 builds on the earlier National Sanitation Strategy (NSS) 2010–2015 (extended to 2018), which served as a framework for implementing sanitation and hygiene programmes nationwide. She added that the updated strategy supports pro-poor initiatives under the Community Youth Employment Model and encourages the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with training centres and other partners to strengthen capacity, create employment opportunities, and meet demand in the design, construction, and promotion of sanitation facilities. “This is best achieved by employing the participatory approaches such as the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) approaches which facilitate communities to conduct their appraisal and analysis of open defecation and find solutions to their sanitation and hygiene needs. It also empower schools and communities to eliminate Open Defecation (OD) from schools’ catchments and promoting sanitation and hygiene respectively,” Zaamwani said. She therefore called on all stakeholders to join hands with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform in accelerating efforts towards achieving the strategy’s objectives and contributing to the national development agenda. “I am honoured to present this NSHS 2022-2027 roadmap for implementing sanitation and hygiene nationwide. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every Namibian has access to sanitation because it is dignity, and it is a human right just like access to water,” Zaamwani added.

admin November 2, 2025 2 min read

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Staff Reporter

THE government has officially launched the National Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy (NSHS) 2022–2027, which seeks to tackle the country’s sanitation and hygiene challenges through affordable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly solutions.

The Minister of Agriculture, Inge Zaamwani, revealed that the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, formulated the strategy following Cabinet’s approval in 2022.

“The NSHS 2022-2027 aims to align with the Water Resources Management Act, 2013 (Act No. 11 of 2013); the Communication Strategy for Eliminating Open Defecation in Namibia (ODFN) 2015/16-2017/18; Namibia Sanitation Situational Report of 2009; the Water Supply and Sanitation Policy (WSASP) of 2008; National Development Plans and National Standards for Dry Sanitation which set out the GRN’s approach of addressing the sanitation and hygiene challenges for all Namibian households with minimal impact on the environment through acceptable, affordable and sustainable solutions, and ensure a healthy and safe environment and improved quality of life,” Zaamwani explained, speaking at the launch of the NSHS.

The Minister noted that the NSHS 2022–2027 builds on the earlier National Sanitation Strategy (NSS) 2010–2015 (extended to 2018), which served as a framework for implementing sanitation and hygiene programmes nationwide.

She added that the updated strategy supports pro-poor initiatives under the Community Youth Employment Model and encourages the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with training centres and other partners to strengthen capacity, create employment opportunities, and meet demand in the design, construction, and promotion of sanitation facilities.

“This is best achieved by employing the participatory approaches such as the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) approaches which facilitate communities to conduct their appraisal and analysis of open defecation and find solutions to their sanitation and hygiene needs. It also empower schools and communities to eliminate Open Defecation (OD) from schools’ catchments and promoting sanitation and hygiene respectively,” Zaamwani said.

She therefore called on all stakeholders to join hands with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform in accelerating efforts towards achieving the strategy’s objectives and contributing to the national development agenda.

“I am honoured to present this NSHS 2022-2027 roadmap for implementing sanitation and hygiene nationwide. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every Namibian has access to sanitation because it is dignity, and it is a human right just like access to water,” Zaamwani added.