About the course

This course provides an overview of urban humanitarian context, its complexities; discusses systemic approach to water and sanitation and develop a water and sanitation plan/project for long-term response. Participants will be able to address the complexities and adopt a water and sanitation system approach in developing a water and sanitation response plan/project (long-term) for an urban humanitarian context.

This will be achieved through:

  • an overview of crisis in urban humanitarian contexts and the complexities, aided by an urban competency framework
  • water and sanitation system approach, with a technical focus on infrastructure(s) ‘beyond-households’, i.e. collection/distribution networks, storage, emptying and transport, treatment etc.
  • a case study to develop a holistic water and sanitation response plan/project in an urban humanitarian context aligned with developmental needs

This course forms part of the Graduate Professional Diploma Programme (GPDP) in Humanitarian WASH offered by IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education. Successful completion of this module grants 5 ECTS (European Credits).


What will you learn

Topic 1: Urban humanitarian context

  • Urban humanitarian crisis and complexities – (i) Major humanitarian crises affecting urban areas and six specific types of urban crises and (ii) Four themes/complexities within urban humanitarian context
  • Urban competency framework
  • Good practices of response in urban humanitarian context

Topic 2: Water and sanitation system

  • Water supply system – (i) water source; (ii) water treatment and (iii) water transport and distribution - Sanitation system (waste water) – (i) wastewater collection and (ii) wastewater treatment
  • Sanitation system (Faecal Sludge) – (i) Faecal Sludge emptying and transport and (ii) Faecal Sludge treatment
  • Water and sanitation stakeholders in urban humanitarian context
  • Alternative energy supplies for water and sanitation in urban humanitarian context

Topic 3: Planning for a water and sanitation response (long-term)

  • Context analysis
  • Need assessment
  • Sustainability approach for urban water and sanitation
  • Water and sanitation response plan

Schedule

This course is scheduled for 18 weeks.

Estimated learning effort

6-8 hours per week. You are required to pass all graded assignments to complete the course and receive credits.

Authors

Created by:

This educational material was developed for, and made available under, the Cooperation Framework between IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Global WASH Cluster, including the vital support of the following organizations: Center for Disease Control, International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, OXFAM, Save the Children, and Solidarités International.