Selection of initial six Type 2 WASH Research Award projects

Following assessment of several Type 2 WASH Research Award applications in May 2018, the initial four successful Research Organisations will mobilise with their CSO partners to deliver six research projects over the first 2-3 years of Water for Women

Water for Women is the largest single investment in the development sector by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), investing AUD110.6 million over five years. AUD10.6 million of this investment is committed to research. Water for Women recognises that research is a key pathway for development innovation and to inform policy-making and program delivery.

Research will focus on key sector research gaps (Type 1 Research Awards) and on knowledge gaps associated with CSOs implementation of WASH activities (Type 2 Research Awards).

Water for Women recently called for proposals for Type 2 Research Awards with 46 research organisations from around the world responding with proposals. 

Following a comprehensive evaluation process, six research proposals were selected for funding. These are:

The Institute for Sustainable Futures – University of Technology, Sydney 

• Research focus: Gender equality and women's empowerment in WASH: strengthening civil society partnerships, workforce development and impact measurement. 
• Working with Water for Women Fund CSOs in Indonesia, Cambodia, Timor Leste and Nepal. 

The International Water Centre and Griffith University

• Research focus: Progressing inclusive, resilient and sustainable SDG6 and WASH outcomes in the rural Pacific: approaches to enable effective community-based water management. 
• Working with Water for Women Fund CSOs Plan Australia and Habitat for Humanity in the Solomon Islands and Fiji. 

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 

• Research focus: Changing Hygiene Around Maternal Priorities. 
• Working with WaterAid in Cambodia. 

The International Water Management Institute. 

• Research Focus: A gender perspective to understand and enhance the functionality of water supply systems: lessons from Nepal. 
• Working with Water for Women Fund CSO SNV in Nepal. 

The Institute for Sustainable Futures – University of Technology, Sydney. 

• Research focus: Supporting CSOs to assess climate change impacts and improve the service, gender and social inclusion outcomes of WASH programs. 
• Working with Water for Women Fund CSOs Plan Australia and WaterAid in Indonesia and Timor Leste. 

The Institute for Sustainable Futures – University of Technology, Sydney. 

• Research focus: Gender transformative social accountability for inclusive WASH. 
• Working with Water for Women Fund CSO World Vision in Bangladesh. 

These Type 2 Research Awards will commence in July 2018, and research activities will take place over the first 2-3 years of the Fund.

Research Awards under the Type 1 category are expected to be advertised later in 2018.

Water for Women is an initiative of the Australian Government delivered as part of the Australian aid program. The goal of the Fund is to improve the health, gender equality and wellbeing of Asian and Pacific communities through socially inclusive and sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programs.  GHD has been appointed as the Fund Coordinator and is working in partnership with ten Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to deliver 19 WASH projects in 16 countries of South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

You can learn more at waterforwomenfund.org.