A/HRC/42/47/Add.6 million people were provided with drinking water through the “Program for providing the population of the Republic of Tajikistan with clean drinking water for 2008-2020”. In addition, it explained that as part of the implementation of paragraphs 28-29 of the Action Plan for the implementation of the “Water Sector Reform Program in Tajikistan for the period 2016-2025”, it planned to restore water supply and sanitation infrastructure, replace worn-out facilities and protect infrastructure with modern machinery and equipment. 438.5 million somoni was allocated from all sources of financing to achieve this objective. 48. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the Government’s efforts to construct, rehabilitate and reconstruct drinking water and sanitation systems with international assistance, according to the Action Plan. He encourages the Government and international community to continue their efforts, including in the maintenance of new and existing services. GOOD PROGRESS: The Special Rapporteur congratulates Tajikistan for the progress made in relation to this recommendation and looks forward to the Government continuing to utilise the maximum of its available resources in constructing, rehabilitating and reconstructing drinking water and sanitation systems. E. Recommendation on public institutions RECOMMENDATION 12: “Improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene in public institutions, in particular schools and health facilities, as a matter of priority, and install menstrual hygiene management systems in all public institutions.” (A/HRC/33/49/Add.2, para. 59(i)) 49. The visit of the Special Rapporteur highlighted the difficulties faced by those utilising public institutions, such as schools and hospitals, in accessing their water and sanitation rights. As of 2008, only 38 per cent of healthcare facilities had address to water, and only 43 per cent had access to sanitation services. Within schools these figures were 55 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. Poor access to water and sanitation in institutions such as schools and healthcare facilities can have a highly detrimental effect on the outcomes of users, with this being a possible cause of the high level (24 per cent) of girls who dropped out of school in 2009 (A/HRC/33/49/Add.2, paras 36-37). 50. According to an assessment carried out by the World Bank in 2017, most schools have piped water within their facilities or in their compound or yard, but many, particularly in rural areas, still rely on open drinking water sources that may pose health risks. Coverage for piped water in urban areas was 74 per cent and in rural areas was 50 per cent. On average, students had access to 9.8 toilets per school. Most schools had improved facilities, 59 per cent of which were pit latrines with slab. But in rural areas, unimproved latrines were most common. In 95 per cent of schools surveyed, no funds were allocated to meet drinking water and sanitation needs in schools, and “costs must be met by the community or parents.”18 Most schools had separate sanitation facilities for girls and boys, but only 3 per cent had special facilities for disabled students (11 per cent in urban areas, 2 per cent in rural areas). Only 1 per cent of schools had covered bins for the disposal of menstrual hygiene waste and only 2 per cent had water available in girls’ cubicles for menstrual hygiene management. Except in Dushanbe, availability of soap was limited; in urban areas, 45 per cent of schools did not have soap whilst in rural areas, 31 per cent did not have soap.19 51. The Government explained that negotiations are under way to identify current water supply situations in educational and health facilities in cooperation with development 18 19 World Bank, Glass Half Full: Poverty Diagnostic of Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Conditions in Tajikistan, August 2017. 60. Online: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27830 See, World Bank, Glass Half Full: Poverty Diagnostic of Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Conditions in Tajikistan, August 2017. Online: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27830 13