WASH system strengthening in the context of Nepal: Case study from 8 local governments

By: Phurba S. Moktan

 A comprehensive approach is essential for addressing the fundamental components of the WASH sector and bringing about positive advancements in water, sanitation, and hygiene services. The WASH Agenda for Change (AfC) has outlined eight critical building blocks, which include: Institutional arrangements and coordination, Service delivery infrastructure, Monitoring, Planning, Finance, Regulation and accountability, Water resource management, Learning and adaptation.

The effectiveness and performance of local governments play a pivotal role in driving positive changes within this comprehensive approach aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). An applaudable recent initiative involved bringing together concerned stakeholders to share important insights gained from the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) 2022 Sector Ministers' Meeting (SMM). Additionally, the process included setting national priorities and commitments through a workshop organized by AfC's country collaboration members. This endeavor will ultimately contribute significantly to enhancing the operational components that underpin the strengthening of the WASH system, ultimately helping us reach the overarching goal of SDG 6.

Meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) by the year 2030 necessitates a substantial shift in the current trajectory of the WASH sector in Nepal. This shift is vital to ensure the provision of enduring WASH services to Nepalese citizens, thus upholding a fundamental human right as outlined in the constitution of Nepal. Achieving this objective demands a unified effort, bringing together all stakeholders in the sector, including government bodies, development partners, and sector participants operating at the three distinct levels of the country's federated structure. This collaborative endeavor must be coupled with significant alterations in the approaches employed to fulfill the commitments to SDG 6 by 2030.

I was involved on a short research activity supported by Agenda for Change (AfC) Country Collaboration with the leadership of CARE Nepal on strengthening the WASH system primarily centers on assessing the capacity, which includes strengths and shortcomings, within the various building blocks designed by the AfC for WASH System Strengthening. These capacity-related issues may pertain to various aspects such as resources (financial, human resources, equipment, and services), gaps in plans and policies, institutional factors (like internal accountability and governance), among others.

In the context of Nepal, the AfC country collaboration has collectively identified, through their collaborative efforts in WASH System analysis, that capacity issues have become particularly prominent at the local government level. This is crucial for expanding the effective delivery of WASH services. However, the specific gaps and the necessary support for improvement have not been precisely addressed yet. To address this, the study was carried out in eight distinct local governments spanning four provinces. The aim was to provide advocacy for rectifying the deficiencies within these local government entities. Notably, the research was conducted in the working district of the AfC country collaboration members, with one Palika in their presence, and another without their presence.

Through the enthusiastic and robust engagement of all participants in the Multi-Stakeholder Coordination Workshop (MSCW), the evaluation and analysis of the 8 building blocks of the WASH System in 8 Local Governments (Municipalities) were carried out. This involved active group work dedicated to each of these 8 building blocks.

 

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(The writer is a WASH professional with extensive experience in the WASH sector including WASH system strengthening.)

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