The Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS), a UN-Water initiative led by WHO and UNICEF, has released a new white paper titled Improving Monitoring of the Means of Implementation for Water and Sanitation. This strategic document calls for more meaningful global monitoring practices to better track — and support — the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): clean water and sanitation for all.
At the midpoint to the 2030 Agenda, progress on SDG 6 remains off track. The white paper acknowledges that while enabling factors like finance, governance, capacity building, and participation are essential, current indicators (6.a.1 and 6.b.1) fail to reflect the full breadth of the required “means of implementation” (MoI). These indicators measure official development assistance (ODA) and community participation in water governance, respectively — but as the paper notes, they offer a limited, often outdated view of the complexities at play.
A central insight of the assessment is the need to treat MoI not as isolated targets but as cross-cutting enablers that support the entire water and sanitation value chain. “Means of implementation underpin the achievement of sustainable development outcomes,” the report emphasizes, arguing for a broader, more integrated framework that goes beyond donor funding metrics to include national systems, local engagement, and multi-sectoral partnerships.
To enhance policy relevance, the paper recommends disaggregated reporting on financial flows, qualitative case studies, and aligning monitoring with the five SDG 6 accelerators: financing, data, capacity development, innovation, and governance. It also urges greater collaboration among UN agencies, national governments, and regional platforms.
As the world prepares for the 2026 UN Water Conference, the white paper is a timely call to revitalize global commitment and ensure that monitoring truly informs action. "Fulfilling the promise of water and sanitation for all remains as urgent as ever," wrote Bruce Gordon, WHO’s WASH Unit Head, in the preface.
