In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Targets 6.1 and 6.2 show, in their formulation, some alignment with the normative content of the human rights to water and sanitation (HRWS). However, the principle of equality and non-discrimination, which applies to all human rights, was not clearly incorporated into the indicators adopted to assess and monitor these targets. This paper contributes to bridging this gap by proposing two methodological strategies to address inequalities in analyses of access to water and sanitation services. The first consists in adjusting the indicators of access to these services according to inequality. The second proposes an assessment of intersecting forms of inequality. An application of these methods in Latin America and the Caribbean highlights significant regional heterogeneity and elevated inequality in access to services in the countries of this region. The methods demonstrate their potential in contributing to assessment and monitoring of the SDGs, but outdated or lacking data are obstacles to more in-depth analyses.

In the countries of the Global South, investments in the water and sanitation sector have historically not met the overall needs. The poor are generally the most affected. The creation of funds to support universalization of water supply and sewerage services may represent an important instrument as a sustainable investment strategy. This study displays the features and characteristics of two distinct fund models at the state level in Brazil. It indicates that despite challenges these funds offer opportunities for meeting the main objective of the water and sanitation policy in Brazil, the universalization of service provision. It suggests also that the Brazilian experience might be adapted to other contexts.

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