Financing Sanitation: Finding a Middle Path to Reach the Poor: Learning Brief from the East Asia Regional Learning Event

It is critical to tailor sanitation approaches, including pro-poor financing mechanisms or other support, to each country and local context. The ultimate question concerns how to make best use of scarce resources, and what mix of approaches is needed in each context. Some countries have clear poverty targeting mechanisms and others do not. Some countries face specific logistical challenges in reaching poor and disadvantaged households. Conducting formative research and situational analyses is critical in better understanding the context. Taking a middle path means using the market to the extent possible, and, where needed, to carefully apply subsidies or other forms of pro-poor support, while avoiding and mitigating to the extent possible.