Inception Workshop hosts ten Civil Society Organisations who are partners in Water for Women

The workshop was hosted by the Fund Coordinator, GHD, in Canberra to commence the five-year undertaking to improve health, gender equality and wellbeing of communities in 16 countries in Asia and the Pacific. 

The Water for Women Inception Workshop was held in Canberra from 13th-17th March 2018. Partnership is a core focus of the Fund and the Inception Workshop marked the official beginning of the partnership. It was was the first opportunity for the Fund Coordinator, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and 70 representatives from the ten Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to come together as one group. 

There were several key outcomes of the Inception Workshop, one of which was CSOs nominating representatives for the three Water for Women Interest Groups: Knowledge and Learning, Monitoring & Evaluation and/or Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI). 

Fund Manager, Alison Baker from GHD stated, ‘We recognise that the success of Water for Women relies heavily on participation and feedback from our partners and so we want to ensure that collaboration is a priority. These Interest Groups will provide a platform for CSOs to influence and give feedback that will inform the development of the Knowledge & Education strategy, the Fund Monitoring & Evaluation Framework and the Fund Gender and Social Inclusion Strategy.’ 

The Water for Women Fund is a key initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and will be delivered as part of Australia's Aid Program, investing 110.6 Million over five years from 2018 to 2022. The goal of the Fund is to improve health, gender equality and wellbeing of Asian and Pacific communities through socially inclusive and sustainable WASH. It aims to contribute to the global WASH sector and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through delivery of 19 WASH projects in 16 countries. Research is also a core focus of the Fund, with WASH Research Awards to be granted for in-depth research to build evidence around WASH best practice, policy and delivery. 

You can learn more at waterforwomenfund.org.