Innovation & Impact in Asia Pacific (Climate Change)
Climate change response for inclusive WASH: transferring knowledge for greater impact
University of Technology Sydney, Institute for Sustainable Futures
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.
Water for Women has been partnering with the University of Technology Sydney, Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS-ISF) on the research project, Climate Change Response for Inclusive WASH (CCRIW), which is supporting civil society organisations to assess climate change impacts and improve the service, gender and social inclusion outcomes of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs.
Climate change is leading to water stress and insecurity and threatening the sustainability of WASH services across Asia and the Pacific. Changes in the frequency, intensity, duration, and distribution of rainfall, extreme temperature and extreme weather events, along with rising sea levels, can directly disrupt WASH services.
Water for Women partner the UTS-ISF has been leading research into different approaches for assessing and addressing the multiple intersecting impacts of climate change on WASH services, gender equality and wellbeing of communities. Research has been undertaken in two case study areas:
1. Indonesia, in partnership with Plan International Indonesia.
2. Timor-Leste, in partnership with WaterAid Timor-Leste.
The CCRIW project has developed replicable methods for assessing climate impacts on inclusive WASH and facilitating local solutions. The CCRIW materials have generated strong interest internationally.
This Innovation and Impact project is expanding the impact of the CCRIW project to a global level by developing a massive online open course (MOOC) and providing targeted training on the CCRIW materials to multiple UNICEF country programs.
The free online course will familiarise users with the CCRIW approach and materials, and provide a foundational understanding of key thinking on climate change, gender equality and social inclusion in WASH.
The course will be open access for all and self-paced. The MOOC will make use of a variety of teaching and learning techniques such as videos, quizzes, polls, suggested reading, and open discussion forums, making participation enjoyable and engaging.
Additionally, drawing on their experience sharing lessons from CCRIW with civil society partners, UTS ISF researchers are developing webinars that provide targeted engagement with staff from the UNICEF East Asia and Pacific regional office, representing 10 to 15 country programs. The webinars will familiarise participants with the CCRIW approach and materials, and facilitate considered use in their own country programs.
As a result, methods for addressing climate change impacts on gender equality and social inclusion in WASH and related valuable lessons learnt from the CCRIW project are reaching interested stakeholders across the globe. These methods are also being strongly integrated within UNICEF and other Water for Women partner projects throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
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 this region, but also contribute to improved WASH policy and practice globally. Water for Women is proud to be partnering with the University of Technology Sydney, Institute for Sustainable Futures.
Header photo: community members in Indonesia participating in futures visioning activity / UTS-ISF
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