The National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Alliance is a national working group focused on policy, strategic advocacy and collaborative action towards safe and sustainable human waste management at national, state and city level. We work with our network of partners in over 19+ states to build consensus and encourage discourse on FSSM in India across four priority areas.
Building government support to address issues critical to meet the sanitation needs of women and socially marginalised community through evidence based research and capacity building plans
Providing government recommendations, policy briefs and research to address the issues that impede the delivery of quality sanitation services by local governments
Addressing the challenges of scalability through innovative solutions and new technology tools with sector guidelines to enable their uptake and operation
Mainstreaming sanitation and faecal sludge management through behaviour change campaigns and smart messaging
The National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Alliance has strengthened the foundation of India’s urban sanitation sector, especially championing inclusive, safe and equitable sanitation approaches like faecal sludge management to ensure human health and dignity, and the health of urban ecosystems
NFSSM Alliance was established with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to advocate for safe sanitation in India +
NFSSM Alliance supported erstwhile Ministry of Urban Development (now Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs) for a Primer and Rapid Assessment Tool for FSSM budgeting by ULBs
The NFSSM Alliance convened its first meeting with the objective of building consensus and driving the discourse of FSSM forward nationally in preparation for the 4th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference -FSM 4.+
Launch of India’s first National Policy on FSSM in collaboration between the Alliance and MoUD, signed by 100 cities
The NFSSM Alliance launches “Toilet Ke Baad Kya?”, a ‘dummies guide’ to FSSM with over 3000 copies disseminated at key government workshops/events +
The NFSSM Alliance’s first engagement with the 15th Finance Commission for the inclusion of FSSM as a priority area for grants to local governance bodies, which was agreed to in principal by the Secretary, MoHUA
Engagement with the Central Pollution Control Board and 13 State Pollution Control Boards to advocate for FSSM as a viable solution
Advocacy at the International Water Association Congress, Sri Lanka to emphasize the importance of gender intentional planning and service delivery while ensuring women are at the forefront of decision-making +
Recommendations for empowering ULBs for increase financial allocation for FSSM submitted to the 15th Finance Commission
National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP) revisions submitted to MoHUA for integrated FSSM +
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban launches Gender Responsive Guidelines
Advocacy on the importance of FSSM at the 5th South Asian Cities Summit with a declaration on FSSM signed by 80 Mayors and elected representatives +
Recommendations for inclusive gender indicators in Swachh Sarvekshan 2021