LIXIL and UNICEF Extend Partnership to Improve Global Sanitation

In a significant move to address the global sanitation crisis, LIXIL and UNICEF have announced the extension of their partnership until 2027. The collaboration aims to expand efforts in six countries to provide more communities with access to safe, clean toilets and hygiene solutions.

Over the past five years, the partnership has made significant strides in improving the availability and affordability of safe sanitation in Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania. As a result, 12.7 million people have gained access to basic sanitation and hygiene facilities. According to Carla Haddad Mardini, UNICEF’s Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships, "A lack of access to safe sanitation and hygiene has devastating effects on children and their families worldwide. Every day, 1,000 children under the age of five die from diseases linked to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene."

The partnership has also emphasized the need to scale up efforts to reach the 3.5 billion people globally who still lack access to safely managed sanitation. Mardini added, "Providing access to proper sanitation facilities not only ensures health and wellbeing but also grants people the dignity they deserve."

In lower-income countries, most sanitation improvements are driven by individuals purchasing toilets with their own resources. However, poorer communities face barriers, such as a lack of affordable products, skilled labor, and financial constraints. To address these issues, the LIXIL-UNICEF partnership has implemented various activities, including supporting government health workers to promote safe sanitation, training masons to install toilets, facilitating microfinance loans, and increasing the availability of affordable hygiene and sanitation products.

The recently published 2018-2023 partnership report highlights key achievements, including catalyzing public and private sector investment in sanitation, with US$2.2 million in government funding and nearly US$4.9 million in loans from banks and microfinance institutions. Jin Montesano, Chair of LIXIL’s Impact Strategy Committee, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, "Our partnership with UNICEF is central to LIXIL’s mission of improving global health through innovative sanitation and hygiene solutions. By renewing this partnership, we reaffirm our commitment to developing market-based strategies that ensure safe, accessible sanitation where it’s needed most."

The extension of the partnership is a significant step towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030. With this renewed commitment, LIXIL and UNICEF are poised to make a meaningful impact in the lives of millions of people around the world.