IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre
Bridging the knowledge gap and joint learning with partners for improved, low-cost water supply, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries.
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In Focus: "Start doing the right things in the right way"
Community management of water resources in rural areas remains the most effective and reliable service delivery model (SDM) in as long as it is backed up by strengthened governance and improvements in management. “Start doing the right things in the right way” -- this was unanimously endorsed by some 200 delegates from 29 countries at the April 2010 International Symposium on Rural Water Services (Kampala). This synthesis report presents the highlights of the activity -- pointing out to what may be referred to as an ‘emerging philosophy in the water sector’.
Annual Report 2009
IRC and its staff facilitate a gamut of innovative research and learning support services with the aim of generating and sharing WASH related information. The Annual Report 2009 highlights the IRCs achievements and the significant steps the organisation has taken in the areas of resource generation; knowledge management and information sharing; monitoring and learning; as well as partnership building and capacity strengthening. It stands as testament to an engaged organisation that remains at the forefront of the water and sanitation sector, inspiring stakeholders in the WASH sector to meet the challenges of change and achieving sustainable delivery of and access to water and sanitation.
Download the full text as a ZIP file.
You can also access the report on Slideshare.
IRC_Annual_Report_2009.zip (4.21 MB)
IRC work features in Good Practice Notes Danida
Thirteen peer reviewed publications and articles from IRC and partners on Sector Wide Approaches sanitation and hygiene, advocacy and communication, hygiene promotion, sustainable hygiene behaviours, WASH in Schools, HIV/AIDS and WASH, Monitoring MDGs for WASH, and Guide on the methodology for participatory assessment feature in ‘Reaching the MDG target for sanitation in Africa – A call for realism’, a recent publication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danida, Denmark.
UN General Assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right
Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, the General Assembly declared on 28 July 2010, voicing deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water.
Second announcement IRC 2010 symposium
The 2nd Announcement for the IRC Symposium 2010, 'Pumps, Pipes and Promises: Costs, Finances and Accountability for Sustainable WASH Services' has been released and is now available online.
We want to publish your story!
Your contributions are valuable to us! Inform and enrich work in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector with lessons learnt from your community’s experience in WASH services and integrated water resource management (IWRM). Get your story published in the Source Bulletin and the Voice of Communities blog, which reaches over 40,000 readers and stakeholders in the water sector, including government, NGOs, academics, donors and communities.
G8: progress on water and sanitation commitments assessed
An accountability report on development aid by G8 countries says that progress towards meeting the water and sanitation targets provides a mixed message. The report says the world is on track to meet the water goal globally, but is dangerously behind in achieving the sanitation goal, with Sub-Saharan Africa making the slowest progress.
Photo story: Water and sanitation improvements at Atono school in Kenya
Mr Daniel Odhiambo is head-master of the Atono school in Nyanza, one of only four schools in Kenya with urinals for girls. Netwas Kenya and IRC visited his school recently as part of a UNICEF Kenya study of 43 schools in four districts: Coast (Mombasa); Nyanza (Rachuonyo & Kisumu); Rift Valley (Kajiado); and North Eastern (Garissa). The aim of the study was to find out if the national Kenyan Ministry of Health's standard ratio of 1 latrine to 25 girls and 1 toilet to 30 boys can be downgraded if the pupils also have access to urinals, and if so, what would be the new ratio.
This was a follow-up of 2004-2005 research on the enhancement of sanitation and hygiene for Kenya’s school children, carried out by IRC together with seven partner organisations in Kenya. The study showed that school toilet standards were not being met.
Regulation: pro-poor reform of water and energy supply services
Broad efforts at regulatory reform and increasing energy and water access may, but will not necessarily, help the poor, says an Asian Development Bank policy brief published in April 2010
Namibia: government moves closer to subsidising water for the poor
A group of experts of Burgert Gildenhuys consultant group has presented findings on possible future subsidisation of water tariffs for poor households, which is almost one third of the population.
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About IRC
Since its foundation in 1968, the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) has facilitated the sharing, promotion and use of knowledge so that governments, professionals and organisations can better support poor men, women and children in developing countries to obtain water and sanitation services they will use and maintain.
