Water for Women - Papua New Guinea (Plan International)

Bridging climate action and community needs for climate-resilient inclusive WASH 

From 2023 to 2024 Water for Women partnered with Plan International to deliver climate-resilient inclusive WASH services to reach 19,944* people living in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea. This project was an extension of Resilient WASH in the Islands Region of PNG (2018 to 2022) which reached 55,526* people. Plan’s Water for Women project finished delivery in December 2024.

Partners: Plan International (Plan) and Live and Learn Environmental Education (LLEE)

A woman accesses water from a newly built gravity fed water supply in Waropa Ward, Tinputz District, North Bougainville (Plan International / Ishmael Palipal)

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Over the seven years of Water for Women, Plan contributed towards improved access to climate-resilient and inclusive WASH for some 294,999 people. An additional 552,848 indirectly benefitted from Plan’s PNG project. During the final two-year Extension Phase, the project reached 19,944* people directly.

Strengthened climate resilience through increased WASH access for all

The project’s participatory WinS, WASH in HCF, and Community-Based Water Security Improvement Planning (CWSIP) methodologies - all of which incorporated specific activities to consider GEDSI dimensions of WASH risks and improvement actions - facilitated the participation of women, girls, and other vulnerable groups in inclusive WASH decision-making processes. This resulted in WASH improvements that addressed the needs of all community members.

Through the work of project stakeholders like provincial governments and departments of health and education, along with regional and provincial WASH committees, and teachers and WASH committees in over 40 schools, more than 20 HCFs and 30 communities received training and support to identify climate-specific risks to WASH services and to plan for improvements, manage and sustain WASH services effectively, and ensure that they address both climate risks and the particular needs of women, girls, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

In ARoB, the project supported the construction, upgrade or rehabilitation of gravity-fed water supply systems and the installation of rainwater storage tanks, securing reliable access to clean water in five communities for more than 1,000 people, even during extreme weather events. In these communities and in 13 additional communities across NIP, more than 5,000 people constructed new sanitation facilities informed by local level WASH and climate risk assessments, facilitated with support from the project.

In NIP, new sanitation, water storage and handwashing facilities were constructed in 10 schools, serving more than 6,000 students, and eight healthcare facilities, with the latter providing access to improved services for more than 30,000 people. As well as being climate-risk informed, the design of these institutional facilities incorporated disability-inclusive features and amenities to meet women and girls’ needs.

“The integration of climate-resilient features into WASH infrastructure in both AROB and NIP was an important component… This included the use of durable materials, elevated structures in high water table areas, and water conservation techniques that have made communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

Plan International

The availability of technical expertise from the project team, government agencies such as the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Technical Services, and other WASH implementers enabled the integration of climate risks into institutional and community assessments, and the resilience measures that were built into the design of facilities.

The incorporation of local needs and preferences in the design of facilities, and toilets in particular, ensured that they were suitable to the context, acceptable to users, and could be constructed with locally available skilled labour. Access to appropriate local and imported materials such as durable water tanks suitable for local conditions, and sufficient funding, resources, and logistical capacity were vital in building climate-resilient infrastructure that could also be maintained beyond the project.

Further, training and support provided to young people and women saw them be part of technical WASH work in their communities, and at the end of the project, communities and institutions had started to implement updated, inclusive plans for improvement of WASH facilities and hygiene behaviour change.

“I’m really thankful for Plan International for helping us to see the importance of having a toilet house instead of using the bush. Having a proper toilet, for myself and my daughters is not only hygienic, but it also provides a safe place to relief ourselves instead of risking ourselves by using the bush.”

Ward Member, Ton Ward, Selau-Suir District, North Bougainville

Equity and empowerment embedded in capacity building

Building on relationships established in Phase 1, the project team’s strong collaboration with local authorities and other stakeholders, and  participatory community approaches for WASH risk assessment, improvement planning, construction and operation and maintenance (O&M) planning, strengthened capacities, community ownership and equitable outcomes.

In the Extension Phase, CWSIP processes conducted in NIP and ARoB supported increased knowledge and understanding of climate risks and WASH resilience within 13 communities. This included GEDSI considerations and how climate change impacts affect people differently, as well as how to manage and maintain WASH infrastructure under changing climate conditions.

The project team’s engagement with local women's organisations in ARoB, such as the Haku Women’s Collective, provided very localised knowledge of gender and social norms and deep connections into communities.

Plan International

Implementation of the Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WASH FIT) process in healthcare facilities (HCFs), and the Bottleneck Analysis and action planning in schools increased the capacity of health workers, teachers, and sub-national Department of Education (DoE) and Department of Health (DoH) teams in relation to climate-resilient inclusive WASH.

Through participatory and inclusive approaches, the project strengthened understanding of climate risks and resilient WASH, and of assessment and planning approaches for WASH that address both immediate needs and consider long-term climate adaptation requirements. In NIP, the Provincial Health Authority (PHA) has begun using these project approaches to WASH improvements in other HCFs in the province.

Systems strengthening to support sustainable WASH outcomes

Development of the ARoB  Northern Region 5-Year WASH Plan and significant contributions to the finalisation and the ABG WASH Strategy, both incorporating GEDSI and climate resilience to ensure long-term sustainability, represent the culmination of significant work in ARoB from Phase 1 through to the Extension Phase. Allied as member of Water for Women's PNG WASH Consortium, WaSH Em i Bikpela Samting, Plan and LLEE also supported the development of a Regional WASH Plan for the Southern Region of Bougainville, enabling ARoB to become the first province in PNG in which WASH policies or strategic plans are in place at the Provincial level and in all sub-provincial districts/regions.

Similarly, the project was a driving force behind work in NIP to form, and have formally endorsed by the New Ireland Provincial Authority (NIPA), a Provincial WASH Technical Working Group (TWG). Formed in Phase 1, the project continued to support TWG meetings in the Extension Phase and facilitated the stakeholder collaboration that produced the draft WASH policy for NIP.

During the seven-years of implementation with Water for Women, the Plan and LLEE project teams deepened relationships and strengthened collaboration with local governments for improved WASH delivery in NIP and ARoB. The work to establish subnational and local WASH coordination groups in Phase 1 was expanded during the Extension Phase to include facilitation of broader collaboration between government and local NGOs/CSOs, schools, HCFs and communities. The project’s ability to facilitate and fund the initial establishment and subsequent regular convening of the WASH Committee in ARoB and the WASH TWG in NIP, and the provision of technical expertise and capacity building for both was critical to the project outcomes.

Further, the project  convened separate forums for WASH stakeholders to provide project updates and enable general discussion about WASH in NIP and ARoB; these forums created space to strengthen WASH systems and build collaboration between stakeholders. During the Extension Phase, Plan and LLEE also expanded collaboration to engage with other key stakeholders and national actors including the National WASH Planning Management Unit (PMU), which brought greater recognition of the WASH work done in NIP and ARoB and a willingness from the PMU to provide direct inputs to both provinces, including (an intended) mWater refresher training in NIP.

There was also opportune policy alignment and integration between provincial and national levels, with sub-national sector developments such as the ABG WASH Strategy, Northern Region 5-Year WASH Plan, and NIP WASH Policy connecting with the priorities and objectives in key national level documents such as the PNG Nationally Determined Contribution 2020, Medium-Term Development Plan IV (2023-2027) and the new National Guidelines for WASH in Healthcare Facilities. This provided the project with a supportive legislative and policy enabling environment for climate-resilient inclusive WASH and added incentives for NIPA and ABG to engage with the project.

The project team also participated in and shared learnings in national level sector processes, including the first ever Joint Sector Review in 2024, meetings of the National WASH TWG in Port Moresby, and the first National WASH Symposium.

In ARoB, the Department of Education (DoE) and Department of Health (DoH) showed preference for the inclusive WASH facility designs developed and demonstrated through Plan’s consortium and broader Water for Women project  work, and particular adaptations that these include (shower for girls, ramps, spacing, rails). Further, DoE showed interest in Plan’s approach of constructing low/no water-use VIP toilets alongside flush to septic toilets  as a means of safeguarding sanitation during drought. In NIP, the Uniting Church began to use the WASH FIT in its work with HCFs, and in  ARoB, the DoH expressed interest in continuing to use this methodology.

Lessons learnt

High-level learnings from the seven years of Water for Women WASH project implementation in PNG by Plan and LLEE included:

• Delivery efficiency - adopting a clustered approach to project delivery where schools, HCFs and communities in the same Ward/District are engaged in developing climate-resilient inclusive WASH improvement plans facilitates the incorporation of these plans into Ward and local level government/district level plans and budgets. This increases the potential for WIPs to be prioritised for government (or donor) funding, as they provide a package of investments that can be delivered in a cost-efficient manner and have complimentary and multiplier benefits for improved health and accessible institutions.
• Embedding GEDSI in design – incorporating GEDSI principles in the delivery of the project’s infrastructure components led to more equitable access to facilities, such as toilet facilities with ramps and changing rooms for female students. This meant the project was able to respond appropriately to the outputs from inclusive institutional and community WASH improvement planning and decision-making processes, where marginalised groups actively participated in WASH committees and identified their particular needs, fostering a sense of ownership and sustainability by all users.
• Capacity building and community empowerment - training WASH committees, youth, and women in the necessary technical skills to construct, operate and maintain improved WASH facilities not only enhanced local expertise, but also promoted long-term maintenance of WASH systems.
• Engaging local governments in policy development – engaging with governments on policy processes such as  the Northern Region 5-Year WASH Plan and NIP WASH Policy strengthened institutional systems and localised leadership in WASH governance. This also facilitated partnerships between communities, local authorities and CSOs/NGOs for WASH improvement, enhanced opportunities for resource mobilisation and knowledge sharing, which were pivotal in overcoming challenges such procurement delays on construction materials.
• Physical limitations – the project team’s physical location outside ARoB constrained access to national level stakeholders and meant that the consistent follow up and advocacy that is necessary to encourage wider adoption of project methodologies was not possible.

"Before the project, we struggled with water shortages, especially during the dry season. Now, we have a reliable water supply, and our children are healthier and happier."

Community WASH champion speaking about the new Tung HCF in ARoB, supported by the project

Looking ahead

The increasing unpredictability of climate change and associated weather patterns pose challenges in planning and implementing WASH infrastructure in ARoB and NIP that is appropriate and sustainable in the longer-term. There remain significant levels of need for climate-resilient, inclusive WASH services in communities, schools, HCFs, and other institutions.

In both locations, the project developed understanding of the implications of climate change on access to WASH and also created demand for appropriately adapted solutions, such as extended/enlarged quality rainwater harvesting systems, multiple sources of water supply, and advanced water conservation techniques to further enhance the resilience of WASH facilities. Opportunities exist to build on the successes of the project in integrating climate-risk informed features and processes into WASH service delivery and expand these efforts to more communities, schools, and HCFs. It is also hoped that the inclusive WASH facility designs demonstrated by the project (or equivalent inclusive features) will be made mandatory for future WASH programs.

It is hoped that recent subnational policy developments, such as the ABG WASH Strategy and NIP WASH Policy will provide the basis for strengthened interest and commitment to extend climate-resilient, inclusive WASH services in both provinces, including sufficient budget allocations to support delivery. It is also hoped that the promising GEDSI practices exemplified throughout the seven-years of project implementation under Water for Women will be used by stakeholders in NIP and ARoB to further strengthen the participation of women, girls, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups in decision-making and leadership roles.

 Feature photo: Plan International / Ishmael Palipal

*Phase 1 beneficiaries were calculated from those who achieved WASH access. Extension Phase beneficiaries were calculated from those who achieved WASH access as well as climate change outcomes. Totals were determined based on outcomes reported by individual projects. See Our Impact.