World Water Week Deep Dive: Valuing inclusive systems for stronger resilience in water and WASH

How do we shift complex and dynamic water and WASH systems towards greater equity and resilience?

At World Water Week 2022, Australia – Water Partners for Development shared practical examples of engaging with targeted leverage points in water and WASH systems to reduce inequalities and hence build a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive future for all

The session brought together insights and learning from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Water Partnership and Water for Women partners across the Asia Pacific region including, iDE, University of Technology Sydney - Institute for Sustainable Futures, Plan International, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and WaterAid.

Many fantastic resources were shared which are listed below and Water for Women’s first Systems Strengthening Learning Note was launched.

If you missed the session, the recording is now available.

To catch the highlights of this session, you can see the live twitter thread that accompanied the session.

Session Overview

In an uncertain, conflict-ridden and pandemic weary world, there is no greater priority than ensuring that water and WASH systems are future-proofed for climate resilience, social cohesion, accountability and citizen wellbeing.

Systems are made up of people, and good systems are made up of diverse people. Embedding the voice of women and marginalised people in water and WASH systems for multi-stakeholder partnerships, and cross-sectoral collaboration is one of the most effective pathways to strengthen equity and inclusion, so that the ‘invisible’ becomes visible, and hence valued. Valuing diversity, and diverse perspectives, strengthens prospects for a more climate-resilient and socially cohesive future.

The Australian Government’s Water for Women takes a systems lens and partnering approach to improving delivery of WASH services. In this session Water for Women partners, together with the Australian Water Partnership, share examples from the Asia Pacific which demonstrate how they have integrated inclusive approaches and climate resilience into their work to strengthen the systems which ensure water and WASH access for all.

Together we will reflect on how we strategically engage with leverage points in our local systems to progressively strengthen the building blocks of the sector for more sustainable, equitable and resilient water and WASH services.

Session resources

Publications launched during this session include:

• Learning Note One: Engaging with the people and actors within WASH systems - Water for Women Fund

Other resources shared:

• Cambodia Sanitation Marketing Scale-Up Program (SMSU) Learnings from a decade of implementation (iDE)
• Cambodia Sanitation Marketing Scale-Up 3 (SMSU3), SMSU3 Mid-term Assessment, July 2018 to December 2020. (iDE)
• Tactic Report: Reaching Open Defecation Free Status with grassroots partnerships (iDE)
• Systems Change Case Study: Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All (SSH4A) in Bhutan (SNV)

Our thanks to all involved in creating and delivering this insightful and important session.

• Opening remarks were delivered by Peter O'Connor, Director, Water Section, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Setting the scene: The importance of shifting complex and dynamic water and WASH systems towards greater equity and resilience: Fraser Goff (WaterAid Australia)
• Presentation 1: Embedding inclusion within national systems and policy to achieve access for all: Kencho Wangdi (SNV Bhutan)
• Presentation 2: Systems strengthening in water resource management: Lucía Gamarra (Australian Water Partnership)
• Presentation 3: Advocating for government budget allocation as a sustainability strategy: Silvia Landa (Yayasan Plan International Indonesia)
• Presentation 4: Systems strengthening through an inclusive market-based sanitation approach: Rana Abdel-Sattar and Khemra Ros (iDE Cambodia)

These presentations were followed by an interactive panel discussion with Winnie Sagiu, East Sepik Provincial Health Authority, Papua New Guinea, Virak Chan, Water Resource Management Specialist, World Bank Cambodia, Ami Reza, SNV Country Director, Nepal/Bhutan, Katharine Cross, Strategy & Partnerships Lead, Australian Water Partnership and facilitated by Dr Alison Baker, Water for Women. 

If you would like to know more about this session, please contact us.