Policy Briefs   2

From Guidelines to Action: Strengthening Climate-Resilient Water Safety Planning for Inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services in Cambodia


Published: 29-Aug-2025
Keyword: WASH services, GEDSI, climate-resilient water safety planning, WSP guidelines, capacity-building
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Abstract/Summary

  • In 2023, over 90 percent of Cambodia’s urban population had access to at least basic drinking water services; however safely managed sanitation reaches only 56 percent of urban communities, and around 10 percent of rural ones still practice open defecation. Alarmingly, about 15 percent of rural residents still relied on untreated water.
  • Climate change exacerbates inequities in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services, which disrupt infrastructure and disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as women, children, low-income households, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities (PWDs).
  • Water safety planning (WSP) is a systematic risk management approach that identifies potential hazards in water supply systems and establishes preventive measures and monitoring procedures to ensure safe drinking water from source to consumer.
  • The Cambodian government’s introduction of guidelines for Climate-Resilient Water Safety Planning is a significant step towards mitigating the impacts of climate change on WASH services, though its full effectiveness remains to be realised.
  • The effective implementation of WSP faces multifaceted challenges, including limited community and stakeholder engagement, gaps in technical and climate resilience knowledge, and insufficient local climate data. Addressing these challenges requires financial support, inclusive capacity-building activities, and gender-sensitive approaches to bridge accessibility and equity gaps.
  • Systematically incorporating Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) considerations into WSP guidelines and providing support for vulnerable groups will ensure more inclusive, equitable and effective WASH services.




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