School sanitation has been one of the main issues in achieving universal elementary and secondary education, and ADB has proceeded with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects since 2006. Many research findings have revealed that the lack of water and sanitation facilities is one of the major reasons why students dropout from schools in many developing countries. Lack of appropriate WASH facilities disproportionately affects girls since access to such facilities is essential for menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Girls are also at higher risk of sexual violence when using unsafe facilities at school.¹

Prolonged school closures due to COVID-19 have magnified various socio-economic vulnerabilities in society along with deeply unequal impacts for marginalized groups in learning achievement. It is time to prepare school-reopening safely under the condition that the pandemic will be under control soon and access to water and sanitation might become one of the vital factors to keep schools safe for children and adults. Many experts are warning that a considerable number of girls may not return to school after the pandemic and further government interventions and special initiatives will be needed to bring girls back such as cash transfers, school feeding and nutrition programs, preparing schools with essential facilities, and better teacher readiness.

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¹ The Crisis in the Classroom: The State of the World’s Toilets (2018) https://www.wateraid.org/us/sites/g/files/jkxoof291/files/World%20Toile…