Access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene has been recognized by the international community as a basic human right (UN Resolution 64/292) that is essential to realizing all other human rights. However, a large section of the global population still faces the challenge of accessing these most basic services.

Africa continues to face issues of endemic poverty and under-development perpetuated by various underlying socio-economic problems. For the majority of the African countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, economic performance has been poor since the oil crisis of the mid-1970’s and the later the financial crises that began in 2007. In addition to purely economic factors, poor governance, political instability and civil strife, as well as conflict within and between countries contribute towards Africa’s challenges.

The continent’s poor economic performance has led to growing budgetary constraints and fierce competition for public resources. This in turn causes decreases in financial

allocations for social services such as health, education, safe drinking water supply and sanitation.