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The Water and Sanitation Resource Centre Network in Nepal

Updated - Thursday 13 October 2005

Resource Centre Network Nepal

The Water and Sanitation Resource Centre Network (WATSAN-RCN) in Nepal is an informal network of I/NGOs, which intends to facilitate the sharing of information and promote the use thereof to improve the water supply and sanitation services at community, district and national level.

The specific objectives of the WATSAN-RCNN are to:

  • Encourage national and district level Resource Centres (RC) to develop into recognized and viable organisations
  • Strengthen the information and knowledge management capacity of RCN Nepal to provide quality information products and services to district and community level users.
  • Mobilise resources for continued RC networking, capacity building at district level to accelerate increased sustainable and equitable access to water supply and adequate sanitation through effective information and knowledge sharing.

WATSAN-RCNN includes members such as Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH), Integrated Development Society Nepal (IDS), WaterAid Nepal, Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), Friends Service Council Nepal, Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS).

Resource Centre Development

The IRC Resource Centre Development Programme is currently running in 21 countries. IRC supports organisations in these countries in their efforts to build a national network with other organisations in the sector to share information and build up a collective ability to absorb and repackage information and ensure that the information is accessible and used by the target groups.

RCN Development Process

With the aim of assessing the existing status of information flow in the sector and the willingness of the sector stakeholders to develop a WATSAN-RCN in Nepal, NEWAH with the support of IRC, International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC), The Netherlands and in collaboration with Integrated Development Society (IDS) Nepal initiated the following activities in 2002. From April 2003 onwards, these activities have been undertaken as concerted efforts of all WATSAN-RCN Nepal members:

  • A series of workshop at national level and various assessments such as: water sector assessment (institutional); information needs assessment at regional and district level.
  • Development of the WATSAN-RCNN through the formation of task force at national level to lead the process; defining RC’s roles and objectives; preparation of action plan for development phase and implementation;
  • Initiation of the WATSAN-RCN Nepal and the signing of an MoU amongst network members regarding information sharing and promotion to use the shared information and knowledge.
  • A number of activities were undertaken to move towards the development of concrete products of the WATSAN-RCNN and to strengthen its capacity. For instance, awareness creation/consensus building about information management and sharing at organizational level of RCN members; preparation of joint proposal for EU; strategic planning workshop; participation in RCD Facilitators Workshop in Kerala (India); WATSAN-RCNN – IRC workshop on Nepal Water Portal.

Future planning

The WATSAN-RCNN’s primary target groups are implementing organisations, local governments, field workers, and students to receive the information services in the water supply and sanitation sector.

  • To achieve the WATSAN-RCNN’s objectives, the following activities will be initiated:
  • Develop products and services on the basis of information needs assessments.
  • Develop information networks at the district level and advocate for the supportive role of the resource centres in the sector.
  • Support on organizational development and internal capacity building.
  • Marketing and advocacy activities to raise the profile of RCN Nepal.

Lessons learned

Even though the process took time to be conceptually clear about the RCD concept, its functioning, and the individual roles, the concerted efforts of all members have created a lot of enthusiasms in the sector.

As a result of these efforts, the RC concept is shared and accepted by all members. Effective information and knowledge sharing are gradually getting priority within all organisations and in the sector in general.

The Department of Water Supply and Sewerage has also acknowledged the RC-initiative and decided to establish a national Resource Centre.

It is well understood that no one single institution can create great impact alone. This requires networking and collaborative efforts. Working modalities and priority areas of different sector organisations and administrative arrangement have been seen as limitation or constraints to the proper networking.


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