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.
SWAp in the WASH sub-sector: Ugandan experience “scares” new entrants
The Ugandan experience of the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) for planning and implementing water and sanitation programmes proved both an eye opener and a scare for WASH sector stakeholders from countries making the effort to follow in Uganda’s footsteps.
How can we finance the costs of decentralised WASH Services?
Over recent years a better picture of how money flows in the WASH sector is emerging. But it can still be hard to identify the balance of where WASH money comes from in terms of taxes, tariffs and transfers, and where it goes over time. In countries facing the biggest challenges in meeting the MDGs, financial requirements far exceed available funds, but in many cases existing funds are also not used cost-effectively.
Towards strategic WASH sector development planning in Southern Sudan
UNICEF Southern Sudan has signed an institutional contract with IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre to provide support to the Government of Southern Sudan and its WASH sector partners in developing a strategic approach to its sector development.
Northern Uganda: District committees take ownership of learning to improve sanitation performance
In February 2010, Caritas Gulu, NETWAS Uganda and IRC carried out introductory visits on the Learning for Performance Improvement in Sanitation (PILS) initiative in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, three districts in Northern Uganda. The major aim was to create ownership of this initiative among district politicians and technocrats, and NGOs and UN agencies active in sanitation.
Ghana president makes water his priority, says Deputy Minister of Water
Hon. Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw, Deputy Minister of Water from Ghana explains to Dick de Jong how political will by her president has triggered action on the ground. She talked at the Cape Town Water Cube on 22 March 2011, World Water Day event.
Strengthening capacities to improve the local governance of water and sanitation services in the Atlantic coast region in Honduras
Local governance of water and sanitation services in the Atlantic coast region of Honduras is influenced both by the ongoing decentralization process as well as the new regulations regarding the provision of public services. The framework law on water and sanitation, which was approved in 2003 has caused that responsibilities for the provision of services have been transferred from national level to the municipalities. Progress in the decentralisation process, however, is slow. In some cases not all responsibilities have been transferred to the local level, and or the resources and expertise to assume the new responsibilities lack at this level. These and more issues were discussed in the workshop ‘Local Governance and Capacity Development for improved WASH services in the Atlantic coast region in Honduras’, organised by the RAS-HON branch office for this region, based in the city of La Ceiba, in October 2007. In this workshop, participants have come up with a series of recommendations for strengthening the capacities to improve local WASH governance. These recommendations have been included in a field note. The field note is in Spanish, and can be accessed by following this link, which will lead you to the IRC WASH Library.
The ‘Seventh video’ raises many important governance issues
“The video raises many important governance issues, like partnerships and not to leave everything to communities, transparency in funds management, gender and equity for disadvantaged groups. It helps us see these issues more clearly.” “I have used it in several trainings here, to send the message”. These are two of the 11 comments made on the Seventh Video on Community Water Supply Management by eight participants of the WASH Governance Testing Workshop held in Morogoro, Tanzania, 17th and 18th November 2011.
