WATSAN response to earthquake in Pakistan

This paper summarizes the experiences of WatSan emergency response to the devastating earthquake which struck Pakistan on 08 October 2005. The response entailed distribution of pre-positioned supplies, establishing coordination mechanism, rehabilitation of major water supply systems, water trucking, promotion of household water treatment options, effective water quality surveillance, support to solid waste management, construction of sanitation facilities and most importantly hygiene promotion. Over 700,000 people received safe water and sanitation facilities through UNICEF assistance. There was no major outbreak of diseases reported in the earthquake affected areas while morbidity and mortality indicators remained more or less similar to the rest of country not affected by the earthquake, indicating the effectiveness of water, sanitation and hygiene services

Pakistan earthquake - WatSan reconstruction strategy

This paper presents an overview of the formulation process and salient features of the strategy for reconstruction and rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities and infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the earthquake of 08 October 2005. The strategy was prepared through a consultative process that involved line agencies, NGOs and development partners at sub-district, district, provincial and federal levels. The salient features of the strategy include overview of damages, vision, objectives, scope, strategies for building back better, component activities, district-wise budget estimates, implementation arrangements, targets, indicative work plan, monitoring and evaluation mechanism and district-wise inventory of 3,880 affected water and sanitation schemes

Formulation of WatSan policies in Pakistan

This paper describes the process of formulation of National Drinking Water and Sanitation Policies in Pakistan. The process, which was led by the Ministry of Environment and supported by UNICEF, involved evidence based advocacy for policy development; preparation of a working paper; development of background papers for stakeholder consultation; preparation of provincial papers on the basis of stakeholders’ workshops; development of draft policies on the basis of provincial papers; circulation of the draft policies among relevant federal ministries, provincial departments and other stakeholders; and finalization in light of stakeholders’ comments. The National Sanitation Policy has been approved by the Federal Cabinet and is currently under implementation. The Drinking Water Policy, however, is still in the draft form due to delays mainly attributable to fragmentation of the responsibility of water resource conservation, management and control across several Ministries and line departments

Formulation of water and sanitation policies and strategies: experiences from Rwanda

This paper describes the process of formulation of Rwanda’s National Water Supply and Sanitation Policies and Strategies, which were approved by the Cabinet in December 2016. The major steps in the process included conceptualisation (preparation of a concept note and work plan); constitution of a dedicated task force to oversee the process; engagement of international consultants; literature review and information collection; preparation of background papers; stakeholders’ consultations; preparation of draft polices and strategies; review and quality assurance by the sector working group and the task force; consensus building; finalisation and approval. The process spanned almost two years and cost approximately US$ 170,000, including the cost of external consultants and stakeholders’ consultations. The case of Rwanda provides valuable lessons for other countries that plan to update their national water and sanitation policies and strategies in view of changes in the context and emerging issues and to ensure alignment with the SDGs

Rural WASH programming: experiences from Rwanda

Rwanda WASH Project was implemented in rural areas of four low-WASH access districts during 2009 - 2015 by the Government of Rwanda with support from UNICEF and the Government of the Netherlands. This project had four key components i.e. community water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion, institutional WASH and capacity building. The project, which benefitted over 500,000 people, resulted in increase in average access to improved water supply and sanitation in the target districts from 47 per cent to 85 per cent and from 34 per cent to 70 per cent, respectively. A project sustainability assessment carried out in 2016 showed that the infrastructure built under the project was fully functional. The experiences of the project underline the importance of establishment of effective project coordination mechanism, use of existing government structures, capacity building, strong monitoring and evaluation framework and public-private partnership for management of water supply systems

School sanitation - UNICEF's experiences in Pakistan

Balochistan, which constitutes 44 percent of Pakistan’s area and 5 percent of its population, is the least developed province of Pakistan. Compared with national average literacy rates of 32.6 percent for females and 56.5 percent for males (1998 estimates), it has an average literacy rate of 15 percent and 36.5 percent for females and males, respectively. The female literacy rate in rural areas however is 2 percent. The infant and under-5 mortality rates of 190 and 235 live births (LB) per 1000 in the province are also considerably higher than the corresponding national average values of 101 and 140 per 1000, respectively. In order to “contribute to child survival, protection and development” by provision of adequate water and sanitation facilities in girls primary schools and imparting health and hygiene education, the Government of Balochistan launched the UNICEF’s assisted Primary Environmental Care in Girls Primary School (PECGPS) Project in selected areas of the province in 1998. Considering the fact that lack of drinking water and sanitation facilities is one of the main reasons for low enrollment and high drop out rates in the girls primary schools in Balochistan, it was also envisaged that the project would result in an increased female literacy rate through decreased primary school drop out. This paper summarizes the experiences of the work carried out in two divisions i.e. Kalat and Zhob up to December 2000

Community management in refugee camps

Community management in refugee camp