Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) has been implemented in Cambodia since 2005 as a means of improving sanitation and hygiene practices in rural communities, and mobilising them to achieve open defecation free (ODF) status. In CLTS, children are often encouraged to be change agents to help influence their family and community to improve sanitation and hygiene behaviours.
However, some strategies may pose a risk to child safety. Therefore, Cambodia Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement Programme (CRSHIP) has conducted an, ‘Evaluation of CLTS Triggering with Children in Rural Cambodia and Its Potential Impacts‘, to determine whether, and to what extent, this child protection risk is present as well as to identify recommendations that minimise the risk.
This two-page learning brief summarises the findings and recommendations from the evaluation. It is written for the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) and development partners involved in CLTS. It has a number of recommendations which are relevant across the region and beyond.