Who We are

About the Alliance

The NFSSM Alliance, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is a collective of over 35 expert organisations dedicated to advancing inclusive and safe sanitation practices across India. The Alliance drives discourse, shapes policy, and supports governments at all levels in enhancing human waste management. With a vision set for 2030, the Alliance is focused on ensuring that sanitation practices are inclusive, effective, and sustainable throughout the country’s 7,900 cities and towns.

This ambitious goal is pursued through robust government engagement, knowledge codification, and cross-learning initiatives. By focusing on institutionalising inclusive sanitation, scaling and sustaining reuse and circularity initiatives, and creating an enabling environment for innovations and technologies, the Alliance strengthens the accessibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of sanitation services, ensuring they reach the last mile.

In its pursuit of nationwide impact, the Alliance has recently expanded its reach to new geographies with support from the Viega Foundation. Guided by the vision of every city safely managing its human waste, the Alliance remains committed to providing contextualised sanitation solutions and their interlinkages for sustainable outcomes. This expansion, integral to the Alliance’s five-year vision, also focuses on disseminating proven best practices, learnings, and collaborative networks to states at various stages of their sanitation journeys.

By driving innovation and sharing expertise, the Alliance is accelerating advancements in sanitation management across towns and cities, ensuring sustainable and effective solutions for all.

The NFSSM Alliance journey

The National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) Alliance was formed in 2016 to address the need for collaborative action and a unified voice to influence national and state policies on FSSM. Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Alliance envisions that by 2030, all 7900+ Indian cities will safely manage human waste.

Bringing together over 35 diverse organizations, including NGOs, CSOs, academic institutions, and think tanks, the Alliance focuses on a few critical areas: Institutionalisation of Inclusive Sanitation, Urban Expansion of Sanitation Service Delivery, and Innovation & Technology in Sanitation. The Alliance is governed by a Steering Committee, which provides strategic direction and sets priorities for the group. Dasra, serving as the Secretariat, strengthens the Alliance's institutional structures, fosters collaboration among partners, and facilitates government engagement to influence policies. The Alliance also leads knowledge curation and insight-sharing, enabling cross-learning among sector experts, governments, and other stakeholders.

Over the past eight years, the Alliance has significantly advanced India's urban sanitation sector, championing inclusive, safe, and equitable sanitation approaches like faecal sludge management, spotlighting sanitation worker efforts, and centering climate resilience, ensuring human health, dignity, and the health of urban ecosystems.

From Idea to Action

An India where all 7900+ cities and towns manage human waste inclusively, equitably, and sustainably through collaborative efforts fostering safe, resilient, and innovative sanitation solutions.

2016

NFSSM Alliance supported MoUD for a primer and rapid assessment tool for FSSM budgeting by ULBs.
India's first FSTP is built in Devanahalli.

2017

Launch of India's first National Policy on NFSSM in collaboration between the Alliance and MoUD, signed by 100 cities.
1846 (42%) of cities across India declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).

2018

India launched a National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP) but did not consider FSSM.

19 out of 36 states and Union Territories published policies or operative guidelines on FSSM. 22 FSTPs operational.

2019

442 towns in India announce or issue tenders to set up FSTPs.
National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP) revisions with FSM submitted to MoHUA.

2020

Initiated a dialogue on the importance of FSSM at the 5th South Asian Cities Summit with a declaration on FSSM signed by 80 Mayors and elected representatives.

2021

Acceptance of 6 Alliance Recommendations by the Finance Commission, resulting in big wins such as inclusion of FSSM in sanitation grants, emphasis on instituting State Finance Commissions and strengthening of ongoing monitoring of service delivery.

2022

The Alliance deepened its collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), to advance FSSM implementation across states and cities. This year marked significant strides in mainstreaming FSSM practices and policies at the state level, influencing urban sanitation frameworks nationwide.

2023

The Alliance's engagement led to the adoption of FSSM recommendations in small towns, the launch of the Odisha Inclusive Urban Sanitation Policy, and strengthened collaborations with key governmental bodies, solidifying its influence in national sanitation policy.

Our Aspiration and Goals

1

Embed the principles of inclusive sanitation into policies, regulations, and national, state, and local priorities to ensure the inclusion of vulnerable communities.

2

Expand and maintain comprehensive approaches across the sanitation value chain to meet the needs of cities and states, fostering an environment conducive to circularity and reuse.

3

Promote system innovations and technological advancements through the establishment of standards, guidelines, and strategic knowledge to ensure efficient and effective access to safe sanitation for all.

FAQs

The NFSSM Alliance, formed in 2016, is a coalition of 35+ organizations driving innovation, inclusivity, and equity in Urban Sanitation across India.

Improper sanitation disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, such as women, gender minorities, urban poor, and persons with disabilities. The NFSSM Alliance ensures these groups have access to quality sanitation and play central roles in decision-making.

The NFSSM Alliance fosters innovative, inclusive, and resilient sanitation solutions tailored to local contexts. This approach addresses urban India's diverse challenges and enhances disaster resilience.

Vision: All 7900+ Indian cities and towns manage waste safely, inclusively, and sustainably.
Mission: Foster an environment for safe, sustainable, climate-resilient, and inclusive sanitation through knowledge, partnerships, and innovation.

The NFSSM Alliance collaborates with partners in 19+ states to promote inclusive sanitation. It drives consensus and action at national, state, and city levels, emphasizing circularity and reusability in waste management.