Climate change impacts, adaptation measures and inclusive resilience systems in WASH: a case study of marginalised communities in rural Cambodia

 


 March 2023

 

Thrive Networks / East Meets West recently completed this Innovation and Impact (I&I) project. The study in rural Cambodia revealed key barriers and opportunities for building climate resilience in households and communities confronting significant water, sanitation and hygiene challenges due to climate change. The findings extend to preferences expressed by water and sanitation suppliers to support resilience and adaptation measures.

You can read more about the project and the research findings in the project wrap up:

Study reveals barriers and opportunities in confronting climate change impacts on rural WASH


 

Blue background with white text stating "Innovation & Impact"

Thrive Networks / East Meets West

 

 

Innovation and Impact projects are contributing to ongoing research and development in Water for Women as a way of strengthening the use of new evidence, innovation and practice for inclusive, sustainable and resilient WASH.


 

Through Water for Women, Thrive Networks / East Meets West is undertaking a Women-Led Output Based Aid (WOBA) project that is delivering clean water, improved sanitation and hygiene education to rural, low-income and marginalised households in Cambodia over five years.

Combined from Thrive EMW & iDE projects

 

Thrive Networks / East Meets West is studying the impacts of climate change on WASH for marginalised households in rural Cambodia. Additionally, they are exploring the role of the private sector in collective climate adaptation for marginalised communities.

 

The study has two phases.

Phase one investigates households climate-related experiences and associated impacts on their access and use of WASH services. This phase employs narrative interviews and surveys to identify the intersectionality of characteristics of disadvantage (poverty, gender, disability, age, education, job) and their relationship to climate vulnerabilities and adaptative capacities. The aim is to meaningfully combine people’s WASH stories within local contexts to better understand perceptions of climate change impacts.

 

Phase two employs scenario-based field experiments to understand the internal and external conditions that influence small-to-medium enterprises’ decisions to provide resilient WASH services for marginalised households, and the willingness of these households to take them up

 

 

The project focuses on both gender and socially inclusive aspects of WASH, and climate adaptation and resilience and linkages to inclusive WASH.

 

The study is providing insights into resilient thinking and adaptive capacities and how these can be enhanced in inclusive ways within the contexts and characteristics of Cambodia’s marginalised communities.

 

In addition to sharing local knowledge about climate change impacts on WOBA’s intended outcomes, the study is providing evidence in building WASH resilience for policy and practice.

 


 

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The Australian aid program is investing in innovation and learning to deepen impact throughout Asia and the Pacific through the Innovation and Impact grants. By supporting partners to further their innovation and impact, we can not only improve WASH outcomes in the region, but also contribute to improved WASH policy and practice globally. Water for Women is proud to be partnering with Thrive Networks / East Meets West in Cambodia.

 

Raised house in Pursat to cope with flooding
Thrive Networks / East Meets West, Arun Phoeurn

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