In a change from historical trends, more and more governments are voicing their commitment to achievement of universal access to sanitation. How can governments take this beyond rhetorical political will and drive real progress? One essential step is to translate this high-level political commitment into prioritisation of sanitation across government levels and departments, and into course correction processes that enable identification of and adaptation to implementation challenges.

In this policy brief, WaterAid analyses the incentives that shape these processes and suggests ways to turn political will into action.