SWA’s strategy is focused on the development of strong systems and adequate sector capacity to achieve transformational change, through which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the partnership’s vision of sanitation, water and hygiene for all, always and everywhere can be achieved.
The Building Blocks capture the key elements that the sector must have in place to be able to deliver sustainable services and progressively eliminate inequalities in access. At the Sector Ministers’ Meeting in March 2016, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, SWA partners recognized these five elements are the critical Building Blocks of a well-functioning WASH sector
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
– All sub-sectors (urban, rural, drinking water and sanitation)
– Sub-national levels
Capacity building and development plans addressing:
The governments lead in – and are accountable for – ensuring that the Building Blocks are functioning and are given the necessary attention according to country priorities. SWA provides a platform for governments to coordinate support from development partners around the Building Blocks, as well as opportunities to learn and exchange with other governments around the world and among partners.
Based on eight country case studies, regional and global monitoring reports as well as learning from other sectors, SWA partners have identified Four Collaborative Behaviours that, if adopted by countries and their partners, can improve the way that they work together to improve the long-term sector performance needed to deliver sanitation, hygiene and water for all, everywhere and forever.
Various tools and mechanisms are available to integrate the Building Blocks and Collaborative Behaviours into existing and ongoing national processes:
The Collaborative Behaviours outline how partners need to work together in order to develop and strengthen the Building Blocks. Together they provide a common framework that SWA partners can use to catalyze joint action towards strong WASH systems. In simple terms, the Building Blocks are the ‘what’ of a well-functioning sector while the Collaborative Behaviours are the ‘how’ of developing and maintaining a well-functioning sector.