Critical issues regarding the planning of school sanitation and hygiene education (SSHE) programmes in India

Introduction The following paper is based on field experiences from the IRC/UNICEF SSHE programme in India which has been running since 1999. For this specific programme a number of workshops have taken place throughout the country focusing on how to plan for the SSHE programme within different states around India. The reader should be aware that this work is on-going and results in terms of impact, effectiveness will take place at a later stage. In the meanwhile, the following provides some fundamental points to consider when planning a School Sanitation and Hygiene Education Programme (SSHE). Although this paper is based on a SSHE programme in India much of the information could be applicable for other SSHE programmes in different countries.