Water for Women launches new transformative resources for World Water Week

Water for Women and partners have pre-released three new resources ahead of their official launch at World Water Week on 24 August, designed to promote, strengthen and sustain socially equitable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for all.

The new guidance for effective WASH and rights holder organisation partnerships, guidance for social norms transformation in WASH, and learning note on WASH systems strengthening draw on Water for Women project experiences and lessons from across the Asia and the Pacific and will be explored in-depth during two gold standard sessions at World Water Week online.

Valuing inclusive systems for stronger resilience in water and WASH
08:30-09:50 CEST | 16:30-17:30 AEST | Online

To be opened by Mr Peter O’Connor, Director of the Water Section of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this session will delve into the first of four learning notes to be published on fostering stronger systems for inclusive WASH; Engaging with the people and actors within WASH systems Water for Women partners will share practical examples of engaging with targeted leverage points to reduce inequalities and build more resilient, sustainable and inclusive water and WASH systems. An interactive panel discussion with representatives from a Provisional Health Authority of Papua New Guinea, World Bank Cambodia, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the Australian Water Partnership will enable open dialogue.

Changing invisible norms - the key to inclusive water and WASH

11:30-12:50 CEST | 19:30-20:50 AEST | Online

To be opened by Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Christine Clarke CSC, two new guidance documents will be launched and discussed during this session; Shifting Social Norms for Transformative WASH: Guidance for WASH Actors with accompanying Review of Concepts, Literature and Practice, and Partnerships for Transformation: Guidance for WASH and Rights Holder Organisation Water for Women partners will share examples of norms transformation leading to more equitable, inclusive and sustainable water and WASH services, and an interactive panel discussion with representatives from Yayasan Plan International Indonesia, SNV Bhutan and the International Women’s Development Agency will facilitate further discussion.

Joanna Mott, Water for Women Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist, said: “Valuing the unseen this World Water Week recognises the foundational and cross-cutting nature of Sustainable Development Goal 6 – clean water and sanitation for all – upon which all other SDGs rely. A central commitment to the implementation of the SDGs is to leave no one behind, which means prioritising actions that benefit and empower women - in all their diversities - the poorest, people with disabilities, people from sexual and gender minority communities, and the most marginalised in communities.”

The three new resources join a growing catalogue developed under Water for Women’s Learning Agenda, which promotes collaborative learning, knowledge development and sharing to support long-term transformative change to WASH policy and practice globally.

About Water for Women

Water for Women supports improved health, gender equality and wellbeing in Asian and Pacific communities through socially inclusive, sustainable and resilient WASH projects and research.  Water for Women is the Australian Government’s flagship WASH development assistance program, investing AUD 118.9 million over five years from 2018 to 2022. Water for Women partners with 10 civil society and five research organisations to deliver 33 projects in 15 countries across the Pacific, South Asia and South East Asia. Learn more: waterforwomenfund.org