WASH-friendly schools for whom? Integrating the perception of different school stakeholders in Brazil

Ensuring that schools are water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) friendly requires WASH to be visibly implemented, inclusive and sustainable, engaging the entire school community, including direct and indirect stakeholders (school staff, students and their families). However, students, staff, and parents are often overlooked in the design of WASH solutions. This study aims to contrast different school stakeholders' perspectives on WASH and evaluate the extent to which the Human Right to Water and Sanitation (HRtWS) and its normative contents are being realized in schools within the basic education system, covering students aged 0 to 18. For that purpose, a mixed-method study was conducted involving seven schools located in a small municipality in the southeast region of Brazil. Data collection methods included on-site observations in schools, in-depth interviews with school staff and parents/legal guardians of students, and a one-day art-based research workshop with students around drinking water, sanitation, solid waste management and COVID-19. Several inconsistencies were identified when comparing primary findings with the schools' information previously provided by the Brazilian Government, including differences in the number of schools and levels of education offered, water sources, absence of bathrooms, and waste burning instead of solid waste collection. A clear violation of all the normative contents of the HRtWS was observed, which, in turn, were triggering and exposing students to incidents of violence such as bullying and verbal abuse. There was a misalignment among stakeholders about which interventions implemented amidst the COVID-19 pandemic are still in place. Moreover, discrepancies among school stakeholders' perceptions of WASH suggest insufficient communication among actors. As a result of this research, a list of recommendations formulated by stakeholders and the involvement and alignment of all stakeholders are the first steps in successfully co-creating solutions.