Dubai Cares, in partnership with Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) (WSUP), launched a WASH program in Bangladesh to address poor sanitation in urban schools, where 60% of the population lives in slums and WASH facilities are severely lacking. A national survey revealed that while most schools have latrines, only one in five is functional, and 35% lack gender-separated toilets, creating barriers to student health and attendance, especially for girls.

The program improved access to safe and inclusive sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools, supported hygiene education for students and communities, and promoted sustainable operations and maintenance. It also strengthened institutional capacity by introducing decision-support tools and engaging policymakers to scale up evidence-based WASH interventions, using WSUP’s database of 14,000 schools.