Making Humanitarian WASH More Inclusive in Cameroon
Category
Cameroon Capacity Strengthening General IASC-Guidelines Pilot Countries
© CBM
Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is essential to everyone. Yet, persons with disabilities can face significant barriers to accessing these services safely, independently and with dignity, particularly during humanitarian crises.
Building Capacity for Inclusive Humanitarian WASH
To strengthen disability- inclusive humanitarian WASH, CBM Cameroon, in collaboration with UNICEF and with the institutional support of Ministry of Water and Energy (MINEE), organised a three-day capacity-building workshop in August 2026 in Yaoundé, under the Leave no one behind! – Phase 4 (LNOB4) project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Bringing Together Key Stakeholders
The training brought together 41 WASH actors and key stakeholders from, UNICEF, Organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) partners, representatives from the ministry of water and energy, local and international NGOs and CBM to build practical knowledge on disability-inclusion and explore how to make WASH interventions more accessible and responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities.
Practical Tools for Inclusion and Meaningful Participation
Participants explored key concepts including the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, the Twin-Track Approach, universal design and reasonable accommodation. Through group exercises, case studies and experience-sharing, they identified practical ways to integrate disability-inclusion across the humanitarian programme cycle.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of meaningful engagement with OPDs and ensuring that persons with disabilities are actively involved in decisions that affect them. Our sincere appreciation goes to MINEE for their commitment and involvement in making WASH more inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.
From Awareness to Action
The training reinforced a shared commitment among WASH stakeholders to move beyond awareness towards practical action helping build humanitarian WASH services that are accessible, inclusive, safe and dignified for all.
Together, we can help ensure that no one is left behind.
Text by Nancy Keboa Efeme, CBM, Cameroon