WaterAid America recently released a study on economics cost of poor sanitation and benefits of improved sanitation
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Absence of sanitation has large, direct and indirect economic costs, on the order of $38 Billion per year globally;
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Benefits (return on investment) from low-cost sanitation provision are on the order of $9 per every $1 invested;
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Other important benefits include increased female attendance at schools, prevention of environmental degradation, etc.Â
The World Bank Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) is in the process of finalizing similar (but more detailed) studies conducted in 5 SE Asian countries, and which has come to similar conclusions.
These findings should prove useful for advocacy with national policy makers, donor agencies etc.
