Lessons learnt from WASH programmes in North Korea

North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a chronic deficit in development indicators, which are visible through aging infrastructure and limited resources for water, health, food, and fuel. The strengths of the context include the opportunity to work closely with local authorities, and the significant contribution of beneficiaries through their labour.

The challenges faced include a lack of direct access to beneficiaries and a national focus on hardware heavy projects. While programmes to date have been largely focused on hardware, there is now an opportunity to increase impact through a more holistic approach to programming. Recommendations focus on prioritising activities based on health impact, ensuring sustainability through operations, maintenance and financing, and innovation in sanitation.

This publication covers aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of several donors, including Swedish International Development Cooperation (Sida), the European Union (EU) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The ideas, opinions and comments herein are entirely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies of any donors.