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The impact of the SWA partnership around the world

The SWA Impact Booklet: Celebrating progress and change, gathers stories of the impact of the partnership's work. It offers a powerful snapshot of what partners working together achieved in recent years. The stories are organized according to the objectives of SWA's Strategic Framework 2020-2030:

  1. Build and sustain political will to eliminate inequalities in water, sanitation and hygiene 
  2. Champion multi-stakeholder approaches towards achieving universal access to services 
  3. Rally stakeholders to strengthen system performance and attract new investments 

This booklet is designed to become a ‘living document’, growing each year as stories are added. 

OBJECTIVE 1: BUILD AND SUSTAIN POLITICAL WILL TO ELIMINATE INEQUALITIES IN WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE

Political Prioritization

The SWA partnership engages with political leadership at the highest level to prioritize water, sanitation and hygiene as a key intervention to promote human, economic and social development, stability and resilience to climate change. The partnership convenes and supports partners to prepare for the High-level Meetings of sector ministers and finance ministers, which identify solutions for structural weaknesses in water, sanitation and hygiene systems.

Read stories, below, from SWA partners who have successfully increased political will at national, regional and global levels.

Liberia

Making water, sanitation and hygiene a political priority

  • Civil society organizations mobilize, putting electoral pressure on senate candidates
  • Politicians sign SWA pledges ahead of elections for Liberia’s Senate 
  • Ministers fired up to deliver better water, sanitation and hygiene services 

Political Prioritization

Bringing together key decision-makers and working with SWA has helped raise the sector’s profile and increased national political will to move forward fast.

Ambassador Bobby Whitfield, Chairman and CEO, Liberia National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Commission

Liberia

Colombia

Increasing political will and delivering big gains

  • High-level political resolve seen as key to accelerated progress 
  • Regulation and investment focus support to rural and vulnerable communities 
  • SWA platforms propel dialogue and advocacy 

Political Prioritization

SWA’s support has had a hugely positive impact, increasing the visibility of the sector and encouraging much-needed conversations at the highest levels.

The Honourable José Luis Acero, Vice-Minister of Water and Sanitation at the Ministry of Housing, City and Territory

Colombia

Côte d’Ivoire

Ministers champion water, sanitation and hygiene sector at the heart of government

  • Water and sanitation ministers working together for the sector’s cause 
  • SWA supports analysis of water, sanitation and hygiene bottlenecks to engage ministers 
  • Sector budget protected for three financial years 

Political Prioritization

In Côte d’Ivoire, the water resources and sanitation ministers have championed water, sanitation and hygiene in such a way as to ensure that the sector continues to receive funding from the public purse even if there are changes at the ministerial level.

Hélène Bragori, Director of Rural Sanitation, Ministry of Sanitation

Côte d'Ivoire

Nigeria

Building political will through private sector innovation

  • New national body created to focus on private sector solutions on water, sanitation and hygiene 
  • SWA Sector Ministers’ Meeting provides the inspiration 
  • “Innovative” contribution to the sector hailed by minister at launch event 

Political Prioritization

This is a call towards leveraging the capabilities of the private sector in a collaborative manner. Through the creation of OPSWASH, there now exists one body with one goal.

The Honourable Engineer Suleiman Adamu, Minister of Water Resources

Nigeria

Global

SWA brings world leaders together to demand global action on water, sanitation and hygiene

  • SWA provides platform to boost sector in the face of COVID-19 pandemic 
  • Call to action backed by more than 70 global leaders 
  • Critical urgency of equitable access to water, sanitation and hygiene underlined 

Political Prioritization

The Call to Action must be seen as one of the stepping stones to the acceleration of the SGD 6 of the Agenda 2030.

Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland

Global

South Sudan

SWA’s global gathering leads to multi-ministry coordination and extra sector finance

  • SWA event triggers discussions to co-ordinate efforts of seven ministries
  • Millions of dollars in extra sector finance agreed by cabinet – an increase of more than 2% of the national budget
  • Government progress and future ambition to be cemented in a “Presidential WASH Compact”

Political prioritization

OBJECTIVE 2: CHAMPION MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACHES TOWARDS ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO SERVICES

Multi-stakeholder action

By promoting and supporting government-led multi-stakeholder platforms, SWA partners align with and provide leadership on relevant multi-stakeholder platforms, strengthening their effectiveness and inclusiveness where they can. Multi-stakeholder platforms exist within the water, sanitation and hygiene community but also beyond it, such as for water resource management, climate adaptation, environmental protection and humanitarian assistance.

By demonstrating and supporting multi-sector, multi-stakeholder approaches, SWA partners are supported and encouraged to think, lead and act beyond organizational boundaries and sectoral silos.

Read stories, below, from SWA partners who have successfully implemented a multi-stakeholder approach at national level.

Paraguay

Inspiring collaboration and coordination 

  • SWA helps facilitate sector and political dialogue 
  • Stakeholders brought together from across the sector and beyond 
  • Civil society, academia and the private sector now involved in coordination and monitoring 

Multi-stakeholder action

The SWA Framework has inspired Paraguay to pay special attention to the articulation and coordination of the sector, both at the level of government actors and with civil society and academia.

Bethania Tellechea, Sector Analyst for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation

Paraguay

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Multi-stakeholder approach delivers new framework

  • ‘PNEHA’ water, sanitation and hygiene framework outlines country’s vision for sector to 2030 
  • Multi-stakeholder commitments made to fortify the sector 
  • Framework delivered in just four months, with crucial 

Multi-stakeholder action

The SWA mission to DRC helped advocate for the new national WASH framework with the sector actors – including the concerned ministries and the donors.

Jeff Bafambembe, Executive Secretary, National Action Committee on Water, Hygiene and Sanitation

Democratic Republic of Congo

Pakistan

Clear commitments, targets and responsibilities driving sector forwards

  • SWA partners engage water and sanitation ministry to accelerate progress in the sector 
  • More local contributions to sector conversations welcomed 
  • Decision-making spaces opened up to wider stakeholders 

Multi-stakeholder action

It was clear that strong coordination between stakeholders was required. When everyone has clear roles and responsibilities, and once communities are provided with knowledge, much can be achieved.

Muhammad Irfan Tariq, Director General (Environment & Climate Change), Ministry of Climate Change

Pakistan

Guinea

Sector accountability and a voice for the CSOs

  • New national civil society accountability platform established 
  • CSOs putting SWA’s sector framework into practice 
  • Joint advocacy leads to reactivation of sector 

Multi-stakeholder action

The Mutual Accountability Mechanism has given us the framework to put into practice the recommendations of the 2018 Global Study. It has allowed us to strengthen civil society engagement and coordination in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in Guinea.

Ibrahima Sory Sylla, President, NGO Carbone Guinea

Guinea

Global

Catalytic funding in selected SWA partner countries

  • SWA partner offers funding to strengthen sector systems and engagement in partner countries 
  • Funding agreed as part SWA’s ‘Mutual Accountability Mechanism’ 
  • Focused support to increase civil society engagement 

Multi-stakeholder action

In Malawi, the WSSCC support encouraged multi-stakeholder partners to work together, identifying marginalized populations and using the SWA Mutual Accountability Mechanism to bring those voices into sector review, planning, and monitoring conversations.

Emma Mbalame, Director of Water Supply and Sanitation, Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources

Global

Nepal

Government works with SWA, boosting multistakeholder action to strengthen the sector in several areas

  • Government places multi-stakeholder action at heart of sector planning and decision making
  • Minister showcases commitments made by Nepal sector actors at SWA global event
  • SWA catalytic funding advances involvement of national research institutions and civil society

Multi-stakeholder action

OBJECTIVE 3: RALLY STAKEHOLDERS TO STRENGTHEN SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND ATTRACT NEW INVESTMENTS

Systems & Finance

By developing an efficient, credit-worthy sector, SWA identifies where and how to improve sector performance and how to make the most of new and existing financial opportunities. The partnership works to strengthen the sector’s building blocks, with a key focus on accountability, transparency, integrity and performance. The partnership advocates at all levels for the increased investment in the sector that will be necessary to achieve the SDG Goals, in particular the most vulnerable. 

Read stories, below, from SWA partners who have successfully advocated for increased financing for the sector.

 

Zimbabwe

Huge budget increase

  • SWA’s Finance Ministers’ Meeting helps focus minds and action 
  • Sector’s budget increased by over 60% 
  • Information management systems and rural areas to benefit 

Systems & Finance

The Finance Ministers’ Meeting granted the sector’s long-standing wish to develop and set up a national financial tracking system. All credit goes to the Finance Ministers’ Handbook which helped lay the foundation for this engagement.

Lovemore Dhoba, Acting Deputy Director, Department of National WASH Coordination, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water & Rural Development

Zimbabwe

Mali

Improved sector financing knowledge leads funding increases

  • Sector builds expert understanding of financing gaps 
  • SWA aids sector dialogue to identify finance bottlenecks 
  • Country edges closer to achieving funding commitments 

Systems & Finance

Understanding the sector’s financing gaps better has strengthened the arguments for investment. SWA has provided the space to help us to do that.

Djoouro Bocoum, National Director of Water Supply, Ministry of Energy and Water

Mali

Niger

‘Common financing mechanism’ paves the way for increased investment

  • Government makes SWA commitment to mobilize new sector funding 
  • Common financing mechanism boosts sector investment confidence 
  • Sector funding increases from US$4 million to US$12 million in one year 

Systems & Finance

The common financing mechanism enables a broad range of partners to collaborate on the complex issues of improving water, sanitation and hygiene in Niger. When partners coordinate through the mechanism, it shows the Collaborative Behaviours in action.

Chaibou Tankari, National Director of Water Supply, Ministry of Water and Sanitation

Niger

Indonesia

Innovative financing paves the way for progress

  • ‘NUWAS’ scheme helps finance sector, and rewards positive results 
  • SWA’s ‘Building Blocks’ help co-ordinate and envision sector improvement strategies 
  • Outcomes to strengthen the sector and increase access to services for the poorest 

Systems & Finance

An effective sector finance strategy has proved crucial for a healthy, equitable water and sanitation sector – supporting public health, the economy and helping tackle the climate emergency.

Josaphat Rizal, Deputy For Infrastructure, Ministry of National Development Planning/ National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas)

Indonesia

Cambodia

Sector strengthening lays foundations for innovative financing

  • New sector strategy follows key SWA principles 
  • Plan to eliminate open defecation five years ahead of SDG goals 
  • Stronger sector key to attracting innovative finance scheme worth up to US$10m 

 

 

Read Story

Systems & Finance

The Cambodia Rural Sanitation Development Impact Bond (DIB) supports USAID’s goal in Cambodia of supporting all Cambodians to live a healthy life. Using a private-sector approach, this DIB develops market-based solutions to achieve universal sanitation coverage in Cambodia, which reduces stunting among children and prevents the spread of disease and contamination of drinking water.

Nancy J. Eslick, USAID Cambodia Mission Director

Cambodia

Côte d'Ivoire

Financing secured to deliver water and sanitation to rural communities

  • SWA highlights sector financing opportunity and supports development of funding proposal
  • Five-year government project to deliver services to more than 50,000 households
  • Better multi-stakeholder co-ordination supported by SWA credited with improving sector’s financing prospects

System & Finance 

SWA Impact Booklet

Celebrating progress and change