Financing helps increase access to safe water and sanitation for people living in poverty. Here's the evidence.

Our evidence, research and data supports the use of financing to achieve universal access to safe water and sanitation. We are committed to sharing what we’ve learned, so we can all see a day where everyone, everywhere has access to safe water and a toilet.

Other helpful resources:

Document Type: Report

Date: April 13, 2022

Meta study of existing WSS research: Thematic paper on women’s empowerment and equity

The gender component of this meta-study investigated the extent of the internal and external evidence base to test if WaterCredit-financed WSS improvements lead to increased: financial inclusion, time gains, income opportunities, school attendance, health and safety, and decision-making and authority.

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Document Type: Report

Date: April 13, 2022

Meta study of existing WSS research: Foundational outcomes

Foundational outcomes consider how WaterCredit supports better access to water supply and sanitation for households across the 5 different areas of gender, household finances, climate change, health and safety, WaterCredit as an accelerator.

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Document Type: White paper

Date: March 23, 2018

Accelerating towards universal access to clean water and sanitation: WaterCredit and beyond

A chapter written for "A Better World- Volume 3", outlining the WaterCredit model and its impacts to date, and its key lessons and challenges.

Document Type: Learning brief

Countries: Indonesia

Date: Jan. 15, 2022

Water in Indonesia: Learning brief on systems change

An evaluation of Water.org’s activities in Indonesia finds that progress is being made to realize the huge potential of repayable finance for water supply and sanitation (WSS), but a strategic focus on systemic change is needed to achieve the government’s ambitious targets for 2030.

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Document Type: Report

Date: April 13, 2022

Meta study of existing WSS Research: White paper

The water and sanitation meta study assesses Water.org’s contributions and compares Water.org’s evidence with academic and practitioner evidence in five areas: household finances, WaterCredit as an accelerator, climate change, health and safety, and women’s empowerment and equity.

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Document Type: Report

Date: July 26, 2019

GLAAS external support agency - Water.org highlight (2019)

This is a highlight of Water.org in the 2019 GLAAS report.

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Document Type: Learning brief

Date: Sept. 1, 2021

​Climate change: WSS and finance

The research assessed the impact of WSS systems on climate, how climate change is likely to affect achievement of SDG 6, and opportunities for climate finance for WSS systems.

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Document Type: Case study

Countries: Bangladesh

Date: Aug. 1, 2019

Indirect effect of water supply and sanitation on women entrepreneurs mediated by digital payment

The study explores and identifies advantages of adoption of digital payments by households, comparing the underlying characteristics of borrowers who adopt digital payments with borrowers who don’t.

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Document Type: Learning brief

Date: April 3, 2024

​Women’s empowerment in water, sanitation and hygiene: An analysis of water supply and sanitation (WSS) financing and women’s empowerment

The results of an analysis of the link between WaterCredit, WSS impact, and women’s empowerment utilizing Water.org program monitoring and impact measurement data, with a literature review, to understand whether there is evidence that WaterCredit contributes to social and economic empowerment of women and girls.

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Document Type: Executive summary

Date: April 3, 2024

WaterCredit and women's empowerment

An analysis of the link between WaterCredit, WSS impact, and women’s empowerment, utilizing Water.org program monitoring and impact measurement data alongside a comprehensive literature review.

2024 Womens Empowerment WASH Summary Thumbnail