Definitions Verification is the process of confirming the claims of communities to have met the criteria for ODF status. Certification is the official confirmation and recognition of the ODF status of communities. Verification of communities claiming to be ODF (open defecation free) and certification of these communities are key stages in CLTS follow up and vital for quality assurance and sustainability of collective behaviour change. Carrying out follow up, verification and certification at scale is not an easy task. With more and more national governments adopting CLTS as their key approach to sanitation and including it in their policies, there is a need for streamlined guidance on monitoring and on how to conduct verification and certification.

From the 6th-10th August 2012, IDS convened an international workshop on CLTS Monitoring, Verification, Learning and Information Management in Lilongwe, Malawi. CLTS is now being implemented in more than 50 countries, of which at least 15 have made CLTS official national policy. With many countries embarking on national campaigns with ambitious targets, it is critical and timely to look in detail at different strategies and systems for post-triggering and post ODF monitoring, verification, and information management and learning. This specialised workshop brought together government and other actors to share their methods and experiences.