For Strengthening WASH and Energy Resilience for Children in Climate-Stressed Areas of Bangladesh

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACT

Title of the assignment

Strengthening WASH and Energy Resilience for Children in Climate-Stressed Areas of Bangladesh

Purpose

To implement an integrated, climate-resilient and sustainable WASH in Schools package in 20 selected schools, improving access to safe drinking water, gender-and disability-inclusive sanitation, menstrual hygiene management, handwashing, hygiene behaviours, operation and maintenance, and school/community ownership.

Location

20 selected schools in the Ashulia industrial zone of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Estimated Duration

18 months within the project implementation period (1 November 2026 to 30 April

2028).

Reporting to Technical

Supervisor of this assignment

Chief of WASH, UNICEF Bangladesh Country Office.

Background

Bangladesh faces significant challenges in providing safe, inclusive and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in schools, and these challenges are intensified by climate change. Floods, heatwaves, cyclones, salinity, arsenic contamination, drought, microbial contamination and depletion of water sources can damage infrastructure, compromise water quality and disrupt sanitation and hygiene services. Children in remote, deprived and climate-stressed settings are disproportionately affected, while girls and children with disabilities face additional barriers where sanitation, menstrual hygiene management (MHM), privacy and accessibility are inadequate.

The Ashulia industrial zone is experiencing rapid urban expansion and population growth, placing increasing pressure on WASH services in schools. A UNICEF rapid assessment cited in the project document indicates that approximately 60 per cent of schools assessed in this area lack functional toilets, safe drinking water or handwashing stations. Poor WASH conditions affect children’s health, dignity, attendance and learning, with adolescent girls particularly affected where adequate sanitation, privacy and MHM facilities are unavailable.

UNICEF and the Export-Import Bank of China have established a partnership under the project “Strengthening WASH and Energy Resilience for Children in Climate-Stressed Areas of Bangladesh”. The WASH component will support 20 schools close to Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Project (DAEEP) in the Ashulia industrial zone and is expected to directly benefit approximately 10,000 students (50 per cent girls) and 300 teachers. Hygiene promotion and education are also expected to influence surrounding communities, with an estimated indirect reach of approximately 200,000 people.

The project combines climate-resilient WASH infrastructure with behaviour change, capacity development and strengthened operation and maintenance (O&M). The approach includes solar-powered water systems, water treatment where required, climate-resilient and inclusive sanitation, MHM facilities, age-appropriate group handwashing facilities, student engagement, School Management Committee (SMC) and Teachers’ participation and application of the Three-Star Approach. UNICEF will work with relevant government institutions, including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), local government institutions and school authorities.

This project will be implemented under the Government of Bangladesh (GoB)-UNICEF Climate Resilient WASH

Project, led by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE). The contracted agency will provide technical and implementation support to DPHE for the delivery of WASH interventions in selected schools. This will include supporting the selection of schools based on agreed criteria; conducting comprehensive school-level WASH assessments; preparing school-specific detailed designs, drawings and Bills of Quantities (BoQs); and supporting DPHE in monitoring and quality assurance of WASH infrastructure improvement works.

In parallel with the infrastructure interventions, the contracted agency will implement hygiene awareness and behaviour-change activities and strengthen the capacities of teachers and School Management Committee (SMC) members. These activities will focus on promoting sustained hygiene behaviours, strengthening school-level ownership and establishing effective operation and maintenance (O&M) arrangements to ensure the functionality and long-term sustainability of the improved WASH facilities.

The scope and scale of interventions in each school will be determined based on assessment findings, technical feasibility, and available budget. Not all infrastructure components may be implemented in every school.

2.Objectives, Purpose and Expected Results:

The overall purpose of this assignment is to implement a comprehensive, needs-based, climate-resilient and sustainable WASH in Schools package in 20 selected schools alongside the DAEEP project in the Ashulia industrial zone. The assignment will combine infrastructure improvements with hygiene behaviour change, institutional capacity development, student participation, strengthened O&M and evidence generation to sustain WASH services beyond the contract period.

3.The specific objectives are to:

Assess and prioritise WASH needs in 20 selected schools and prepare school-specific improvement plans, designs and bills of quantities (BoQs).

Improve reliable access to safe drinking water through rehabilitation/repair and/or upgrading of water systems, including solar power (where applicable) and arsenic/iron removal facilities required by assessment and water-quality results.

Improve access to gender-sensitive, disability-inclusive and climate-resilient sanitation, MHM and handwashing facilities.

Strengthen hygiene practices among students, teachers and school communities, including handwashing, MHM and safe handling of drinking water.

Strengthen the capacity and accountability of teachers, SMCs, student councils and relevant government stakeholders for WASH planning, monitoring and O&M.

Generate and document evidence, learning and advocacy messages to support sustainable and scalable WASH in Schools programming.

4.Expected Results and Key Deliverables:

Result 1: Twenty selected schools have school-specific WASH assessments, improvement plans, designs/BoQs and implementation arrangements in place.

Result 2: Twenty selected schools have improved climate-resilient water, sanitation, MHM, handwashing and solid-waste management facilities based on assessed needs, approved designs and available resources, with priority given to rehabilitation, optimisation and targeted upgrading of existing facilities.

Result 3: Students, teachers, SMCs and student councils demonstrate strengthened knowledge, practices, ownership and O&M capacity for sustainable WASH services.

Result 4: Twenty selected schools implement and sustain the SafePani service model, with agreed standards for functionality, water safety, handwashing service, rapid fault response, O&M and performance verification.

Result 5: Project implementation is effectively coordinated, monitored and documented, and learning is disseminated for policy dialogue and potential scale-up.

5.Description of Assignment:

Result 1: School WASH needs are assessed, and school-specific implementation plans are prepared

Deliverable 1.1: Baseline assessment, school selection and detailed technical assessments are completed for 20 schools.

Conduct an inception meeting with UNICEF and DPHE and prepare a detailed workplan, methodology, staffing plan, safeguarding approach, quality-assurance plan and risk-management matrix.

Support assessment of the baseline WASH situation and transparent selection of 20 schools in consultation with UNICEF and relevant government counterparts.

Conduct project-sharing/coordination meeting with DPE, DSHE, DPHE, local government institutions, local administration and other releva