Sanitation (here defined as measures for safe disposal of human faecal matter) is a basic need and is essential for human dignity and public health. The lack of proper sanitation facilities is a major cause of waterborne diseases, especially in low income peri-urban communities, which diseases are a severe drain on scarce financial resources for public health. Considering the large number of people without access to proper sanitation in many of the SADC States, governments should make concerted efforts to facilitate the provision of sanitation within a reasonable time frame. In general, sanitation in rural areas and peri-urban communities tends to be the responsibility of each household. Through community-based approaches, governments will assist in the planning and implementation of sanitation programmes that households can afford and are willing to pay for. Mechanisms will be provided to give financial support to households that cannot afford to meet the costs of basic levels of service. 4.2.6. Policy: Member States will ensure that provision of sanitation services is integrated into the provision of water supply for basic human needs. Provision of water supply alone is not sufficient to improve public health; it requires complementary interventions to improve access to proper sanitation. Most waterborne and water-based diseases are the result of poor sanitation. Water supplies may be contaminated by poor disposal of excreta, or infections may arise from such unhygienic practices. In order to break the chain of disease transmission, proper sanitation facilities should be provided. In the past, the provision of water supplies has often received higher priority in funding from national budgets or external funding from cooperating partners. In order to overcome past neglect of sanitation and to provide an impetus for improvement of sanitation, deliberate efforts should be made to finance integrated programmes for water and sanitation. 4.2.7. Policy: Public awareness, as well as hygiene education and practice should be integrated in the provision, operation and maintenance of water and sanitation facilities. Hygienic behaviour and practices are important in the improvement of health, where safe water supplies and proper sanitation have been provided. Personal domestic hygiene is particularly important for breaking the transmission of diseases, in encouraging proper use and storage of water, and promoting proper sanitation in the community. Hygiene education programmes should be incorporated in water and sanitation programmes to raise awareness about diseases and to promote positive hygienic practices. This is critically important where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is high, both in terms of the use of water, and its relationship with health and poverty in the affected households and communities. 4.3 Water for Food Security 4.3.1. Policy: Member States will promote the attainment of regional food security rather than national self-sufficiency by developing those areas which - 25 -