UNDP Yemen supports sustained water and sanitation in Aden and Mukalla

April 9, 2020

The public toilet rehabilitation projects in Mukalla provides sanitation facility access to 250,000 people in the area

08 April 2020 – Mukalla: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Yemen and our partner, the Public Works Project (PWP), have rehabilitated and maintained 12 public latrine buildings in the city of Al-Mukalla. The efforts, in response to Yemen’s Coronavirus-19 crisis interventions, were completed in cooperation with local authorities, and area a part of our Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) and the Solid Waste projects. 

According to assessments carried out by the WASH project team in Aden governorate and Mukalla City, the public latrine buildings lacked basic services because of resource scarcity and poor maintenance. The lack of access to suitable sanitation facilities contributes to the spread of communicable diseases such as COVID-19 and infections.

Funded by the Japanese, the public toilet rehabilitation projects in Mukalla provides sanitation facility access to 250,000 people in the area.

“The absence of adequate sanitation has a serious impact on health and social development, especially when preparing for a potential COVID-19 outbreak. Immediate interventions in improving sanitation and hygiene will reduce the risk of contracting diarrheal and other diseases,” said Surayo Buzurukova, UNDP Yemen’s Team Leader for the Governance and Rule of Law Unit. “The newly constructed latrines in Mukalla not only provide disadvantaged and vulnerable population groups with access to safe sanitation and hygiene facilities, but also contribute to citizens health and wellbeing,” she added.

Through the UNDP WASH project, the Japanese funding helps support individuals and institutions in both Aden and Mukalla while contributing to COVID-19 prevention and response in Yemen. The project’s main components include: (a) providing equipment such as garbage trucks; (b) supplying and installing sewage pumps; (c) infrastructure rehabilitation; and, (d) capacity building for the staff of the Cleaning Fund and the Public Water and Sewerage Corporation.

This project is contributing to SDGs 5, 6, 11 and 16.

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About the United Nations Development Programme

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency that advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We provide expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.

UNDP in Yemen aims to restore livelihoods, social cohesion, and security, reflecting minimum conditions necessary for resilience while focusing at the community level. Our priorities for Yemen include: (a) supporting a peaceful solution; (b) economic recovery; (c) restoring basic services; (d) preparing Yemen to transition from humanitarian action to development; and (e) empowerment of vulnerable groups. Read more at www.ye.undp.org  

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