Themes
IRC and partners have identified a number of areas where they believe the existing information is insufficient and that there is a need to generate new knowledge. This is done through collaborative work such as literature reviews, advocacy meetings, publications and information sharing workshops.
Local Governance
Local governance for improved WASH services requires transformation at local level with the active support of institutions and policy makers at regional / provincial and national level. This includes the establishment of an enabling and supportive framework with resources and responsibilities devolved to local government so that it has the authority and the capacity to provide sustainable services. With stakeholder participation at local level and support from the broader water and sanitation sector, decentralised WASH services stand a fighting chance of success.
Sanitation
Sanitation refers to issues around human excreta: disposal, collection, treatment, transfer and re-use in whatever form. Safe sanitation refers to the secure and effective management of human excreta, including treatment and re-use, and widespread usage of safe toilets. On this page you will find news updates on sanitation, as well as information on:
- Sanitation for the Urban Poor: IRC Symposium 2008
- Learning and Sharing Workshops
- IRC Track Record on Sanitation
- Projects
- Publications
- WASH in Schools
These IRC thematic pages deal with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools, until recently called SSHE: school sanitation and hygiene education. This information is related to activities IRC is involved in. More information on global WASH in Schools activities can be found on the WASH in Schools web site.
- Hygiene Promotion
The promotion of better hygiene, alone, or in combination with better water supply and/or sanitation, can have a major impact on reducing disease prevalence and public and private health costs.
Transparency and Accountability
IRC has a programme that supports improved transparency and accountability to reduce sector corruption through activities including advocacy, action research, dissemination of publications, events and training and advice.
IRC is also a founder member of the Water Integrity Network.
Innovative communication
Effective information exchange and two-way communication at all levels is essential for sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene.
Local IWRM
Under this theme, we look at the interface between Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services delivery and integrated water resources management (IWRM), particularly at the local level. Two entry points are taken: 1) ensuring access of the poor to an equitable share of water resources at catchment level, and 2) the promotion of water and sanitation for multiple uses at household level, to support people's livelihoods.
Financing and Cost Recovery
Few countries have realistic policies, operational strategies or plans for cost recovery and financing for sustainable water supply services, particularly for the poor. In fact most of the strategies for cost recovery are short sighted and address only part of the issue of sustainability, resulting in system degradation. Governments, development agencies and communities all over the world are struggling with this. This focus area needs to be addressed urgently.
Scaling Up
Community management has become the leading concept for implementing water supply systems in rural areas in developing countries. It has yielded significant achievements, but it has not succeeded to supply water on a large scale and to secure long term sustainability of water supply systems. For that, institutional support to community managed water systems is needed.
That is the core and main objective of scaling up: indefinite sustainability (scaling up in time) and 100% coverage (scaling up in space) of community managed water supply systems.
Gender and Equity
If water and sanitation projects and programmes are to be sustainable, equitable and effective, they must be gender-balanced and provide access for all.
