National consultant for identification of viable financing/mechanisms for rural sanitation, Yaounde, Cameroon (WCAR), 3 months (Home-Based).

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UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. UNICEF focuses mainly on children and the most vulnerable and excluded families. Cameroon’s 2020 population is estimated at 26,545,863 people according to UN data. The population is young and generates strong socioeconomic demand. In rural areas, limited access to basic social services and the effects of climate change lead to household impoverishment and severe child deprivation. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and out of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, communities. Everyone is invited to take part in the struggle to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Together, we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

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Background

Access to adequate sanitation remains a significant challenge in Cameroon, particularly in rural areas, where progress towards universal coverage has been slow. According to the Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2018, only 29% of rural households have access to improved sanitation facilities, and 19% continue to practice open defecation. This situation exposes communities to high risks of diarrheal diseases, parasitic infections, undernutrition, and environmental contamination, with children under five being the most affected.

The Government of Cameroon has committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.2, which aims to end open defecation and ensure access to adequate and equitable sanitation for all by 2030. Rural sanitation is recognized as a priority area, with Community-Led Total Sanitation adopted as a key strategy to trigger behavior change and eliminate open defecation. However, CLTS alone is insufficient to achieve safely managed sanitation services, which require sustained investments in improved sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion, and solid waste and fecal sludge management systems.

UNICEF’s Country Program prioritizes rural sanitation as a core component of its WASH strategy to achieve Key Results for Children 8 (KRC8) ensuring that children live in a clean and safe environment. Furthermore, improving sanitation in rural areas contributes directly to better health and nutrition outcomes, particularly during the first 1,000 days of life, which is critical for child growth, development, and cognitive potential (Black et al., 2013; Prüss-Ustün et al., 2019).

 

Scope of Work:

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Conduct a desk review of existing documentation and data on:
• National policies, strategies, and budget frameworks for rural sanitation, Current financing mechanisms for sanitation in Cameroon
• National policies, strategies, and budget allocations for sanitation
• Previous studies, investment cases, and costing analyses related to rural sanitation financing in Cameroon and similar contexts.
2. Map the existing financial flows to the sanitation sector in Cameroon, identifying:
• Sources of financing (government, development partners, private sector