SWA, along with its partners, is attending the 2022 Stockholm World Water Week from 23 August to 1 September.
SWA is co-organizing five important sessions focusing on the link between water, sanitation and hygiene and other sectors (climate, education, health). The partnership will also convene an event to present the results of the newly launched Global Audience Study, and officially launch the Justice Begins Here campaign.
All sessions can be followed online. Get your online pass here.
Our team will be updating this blog regularly with the latest news from Stockholm.
SWA joins preparations ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference
Members of the SWA Secretariat and partners joined a breakfast meeting during StockholmWorld Water Week, which was hosted by Henk Ovink, Envoy for the Netherlands and Sulton Rahimzoda, Envoy for Tajikistan. The two governments will co-host the upcoming 2023 UN Water Conference.
The hosts asked participants to share their thoughts regarding what topics should be highlighted at the conference. Participants suggested eleven points that should be reflected during the organizing process:
SWA launches #JusticeBeginsHere campaign at Stockholm World Water Week
The SWA partnership officially launched the #JusticeBeginsHere campaign, which calls for just and equitable delivery of water and sanitation services, in Stockholm.
The campaign invites individuals and organizations from all sectors to tackle the structural inequalities which hinder the delivery of water and sanitation services.
Commit to water and sanitation by joining the campaign: justicebegins.org
SWA presents research on effective engagement with other sectors
During the Stockholm World Water Week, SWA hosted a session that examined ways the water and sanitation sector can more effectively interact with other development areas, and persuade government leaders of the ‘value’ of water and sanitation in achieving other political priorities.
Catarina de Albuquerque, SWA CEO, moderating a session at Stockholm World Water Week
The session titled, “Creating new champions: enhancing cross-sectoral links to achieve SDG 6,” was co-hosted by the IRC WASH, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), UN Water, and the USAID Center for Water Security, Sanitation and Hygiene.
Kicking off the session, CEO Catarina de Albuquerque introduced the findings from a recent SWA study on the perceptions of water and sanitation from six other development areas including health, climate and education.
Catarina de Albuquerque, SWA CEO, presenting the key findings of the perception study
Loïc Charpentier, Water Innovation Policy Manager, Water Europe and member of the EU Water Alliance, presented a case study on the work of the EU Water Alliance to demonstrate what “Reaching up” - engaging with high level decision-makers - looks like in practice.
Loïc Charpentier presenting the work of the EU Water Alliance during the session
Hellen N. Kasujja, Lead for Right2Grow Uganda, and Deputy Executive Director of Community Integrated Development Initiatives presented the joint work her organization is doing to end malnutrition by integrating water and sanitation into multi-sector efforts.
Hellen Kasujja during the session at Stockholm World Water Week
Panel discussion speakers included Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the US Department of State; David Rax Molefha, Chief Water Engineer, Ministry for Lands and Water Affairs in Botswana ; Afou Chantal Bengaly, Mali Country Director at IRC WASH ; and John Apambilla Akudago, Director of International Shelter Initiatives at Habitat for Humanity.
Panellists highlighted how adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene improves education and health outcomes, empowers women and girls, strengthens economies, increases climate and disaster resilience, and protects the environment. They also shared examples of how organizations working in water and sanitation are connecting to other sectors and making the case for a stronger cross-sectoral collaboration.
SWA advocates prioritization of investment in water and sanitation at financing seminar
During the Stockholm World Water Week, SWA participated in a seminar titled, “Water-related investments and economic development” which was convened by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the African Water Facility, the Asia Water Council and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
The session covered prioritizing investments and leveraging public funding to mobilize private finance. SWA and the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund discussed both the challenges and wins of forging partnerships and coalitions with governments.
Muyatwa Sitali, Head of the Country Engagement team at SWA, presented participants with the Handbook for Finance Ministers and highlighted case studies to demonstrate how investments in water and sanitation can also help achieve a government’s broader economic and social objectives, how governments can help de-risk and incentivize improved performance in the sector to attract greater market finance, as well as how this additional finance can then be applied.
The Government of Malawi, which is a SWA partner, shared its experience with recent efforts in prioritizing investment in its water sector.
Rethinking traditional top-down policy-making by putting communities in the driver's seat
At World Water Week, SWA and Right2Grow initiative convened a joint session titled "Seeing the Unseen: a New Way to Navigate the Waters.” The session challenged participants to rethink traditional top-down policy-making by putting communities in the driver's seat.
SWA partners and Right2Grow coordinators in Mali and Uganda presented case studies which showcased communities taking the lead on national and global action. Hellen Kassujja of Uganda identified that the President of Uganda has spoken out about climate issues for the first time thanks to advocacy work catalysed by SWA’s Sector Ministers’ Meeting earlier this year.
Ms. Hellen N. Kasujja, Lead, Right2Grow Uganda, and Deputy Executive Director, Community Integrated Development Initiatives, Uganda during the session at Stockholm World Water Week
Sareen Malik of ANEW highlighted SWA Mutual Accountability Mechanism (MAM) as a critical tool for civil society to raise gender, climate and inclusivity issues from a community perspective. The MAM acts as a tool to cement local perspectives within global decision-making spaces and to lead accountability efforts within civil society and amongst leaders and the private sector.
Throughout the session, participants highlighted the need for inclusive participation (including at strategic international events) and community empowerment within data gathering and management to effectively target the most vulnerable communities and improve advocacy work.
Nick Hepworth of global research facility Water Witness presented South-led research confirming that the poor and marginalised are the least politically prioritized with water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Henk Ovink closed the session, linking community empowerment to the upcoming UN 2023 Water Conference. The World Water Week event serves as a mid-point to reflect ahead of the conference on commitments made at the recently concluded Sector Ministers' Meeting, especially in the context of leaving no one behind in regards to sustainable development.
Advocacy efforts by SWA partners to raise awareness on the importance of allocating climate financing for water, sanitation and hygiene
SWA co-convened an event at Stockholm World Water Week titled, “Green Climate Financing Opportunities for Resilient Water Sanitation and Hygiene.” The session built on two years of important advocacy efforts by SWA partners to raise awareness on the importance of allocating climate financing for the water, sanitation and hygiene sector. Previously, SWA has participated with the WaterAid Climate Finance Initiative, UNICEF and partners to develop climate risk assessments and build the water, sanitation and hygiene climate rationale, as well as hosted a climate webinar series.
Similar discussions on water and sanitation in relation to climate financing will continue during COP27 where SWA is serving as a steering committee member for the Water Pavilion. SWA will also bring together water and sanitation experts to provide inputs to the Action for Water Adaptation and Resilience.
At Stockholm World Water Week, the Green Climate Fund released a set of Water Security Guidelines. SWA convened key sector partners to provide inputs to the guidelines, emphasizing the need to reflect on the baseline situation of lack of access to safely managed water and sanitation. SWA also highlighted the importance of recognizing water and sanitation as human rights and why climate financing is vital to resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Green Climate Financing Opportunities for Resilient Water Sanitation and Hygiene
Tuesday 23 August 15:30-16:50 | Online Session
Water, sanitation and hygiene services are key to building a water-secure world. This session provides updates on the development of GCF Water Guidelines and articulates the rationale to increase climate financing to basic WASH services to maximize opportunities for mitigation while ensuring adaptation through building the resilience of basic WASH services and the communities which depend on these.
Among the key dimensions to ensure water security are two that closely relate to WASH services and systems
Despite this clear alignment between water security and WASH priorities, basic WASH services receive a small share of climate financing within the broader water portfolio of investment. This session discusses what is the climate rationale for directing a fair amount of climate financing to basic WASH services.
Co-conveners:
Global Water Partnership, Sanitation and Water for All, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), The International Federation of Private Water Operators, Toilet Board Coalition, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Water For People, WaterAid
Agenda
15:30 – 15:35 CET: Opening and Welcoming by Moderator: Alexandra Knezovich, Managing Director of the Toilet Board Coalition
15:35 – 15:40 CET: Introduction by Lesley Pories, Co-chair of the SWA High Level Political Dialogue
15:40 – 15:55 CET: Framing Presentation: The GCF Water Security Guidelines and the Practical guidelines for designing climate resilient projects in WASH. Dr Amgad ELmahdi. Water Sector Senior Specialist. Division Mitigation Adaptation. Green Climate Fund
15:55 – 16:05 CET: Case Study on Successful water, sanitation and hygiene related proposal: “Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity” Bangladesh. Karma Lodey Rapten. Regional Technical Specialist (Adaptation) Nature, Climate and Energy Bureau for Policy and Programme Support/Global Policy Network. Bangkok Regional Hub
PANEL DISCUSSION
16:05 – 16:30 CET: On-going readiness efforts to prepare countries and enable the environment for the development of successful WASH climate financing proposals. Panel moderated and introduced by Alejandro Jimenez, SIWI Water and Sanitation Director
Panelists:
16:30 – 16:45 CET: Q&A by Alexandra Knezovich, Managing Director Toilet Board Coalition
16:45– 16:50 CET: Closing remarks by Silvia Gaya, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific WASH Senior Adviser
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Creating new champions: enhancing links to achieve SDG 6 across
Tuesday 30 August 14:00-15:30 CET | Online & On-site session | Room: 353
Inspired by the need to broaden the reach of water and sanitation advocacy to achieve SDG 6, this session puts into practice SWA’s strategy on how to ‘reach up’, to decision-makers at the very highest levels, and how to ‘reach out', to actors in other sectors.
The session begins by introducing the findings from SWA-commissioned research into how experts in six other areas perceive water and sanitation. This includes revealing tested, targeted messaging and positioning that would resonate more effectively with them.
The session will also feature examples of how other organizations working in water and sanitation are connecting to other sectors and making the case for a stronger cross-sectoral collaboration. It will conclude with an in-depth panel discussion and questions from the audience.
Co-conveners:
IRC, Sanitation and Water for All, Stockholm International Water Institute, United States Agency for International Development, UN-Water
Agenda
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Seeing the unseen: a new way to navigate the waters
Wednesday 31 August 09:00-10:30 | Online & On-site session | Room 357
SWA and Right2Grow are locally driven partnerships that raise the voices of those who go unheard. We want to show a new way to navigate the waters and zoom in on locally-led action. The trickling-up impact these actions might have will be fully explored to bridge local and global.
This session will take you from local to global and back. There is no one size fits all. SWA and Right2Grow are tackling the World’s water challenges at multiple fronts at different levels and this session will show how. Locally and globally led initiatives to improve people’s access to WASH will be discussed. Bottom-up and people’s led approaches will show the audience the value of having local realities lead the way forward. The SWA 2022 Sector Ministers' Meeting will provide insight into how the right entry points can be created for civil society to present locally informed evidence to their government officials to increase accountability and enhance alignment between sectors.
Co-conveners:
Action Against Hunger, Max Foundation, Sanitation and Water for All, Save the Children, The Centre for Economic Governance and Accountability in Africa, The Hunger Project, World Vision
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Citizen voices: is participatory decision making a dream?
Thursday 25 August 15:30-16:50 l Online session
Citizen Participation in the decision-making process is a key lever to ensure progress in the water and sanitation sector, as well as the achievement of SDG 6. Through the voices of stakeholders from civil society, institutions and academia, this session aims to bring together positive experiences and inspiring tools to achieve inclusive water and sanitation services, while reflecting on the challenges and the conditions for active and meaningful participation in decision-making processes, at local, national and international levels.
The session will bring a meaningful contribution to the « participation » conversation, especially in the framework of the implementation of target 6b of Agenda 2030, and create a space for learning by sharing experiences and lessons learned on drivers, benefits, and obstacles, tools, and mechanisms.
The session will feature a panel discussion that will be moderated by SWA.
Co-conveners:
Action Against Hunger and Coalition Eau
Agenda
Moderator: Balwant Godara, Political Advisor, Sanitation and Water for All Partnership
Speakers
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SIWI Seminar: Water-related investments and economic development (3/3)
Monday 29 August 11:00-12:30 | Online & On-site session | Room: Pillar Hall
Achieving universal access requires an infusion of more capital. Structuring, blending, and leveraging are commonplace terms but how to do it well?
This session will bring to light analyses and processes used to prioritize investments and leverage public funding to mobilize private finance. The Government of Malawi will share its experience with recent efforts in prioritizing investment in its water sector. The African Development Bank, recently chosen to host the African Urban Sanitation Investment Fund (AUSIF), will highlight the targets and multi-stakeholder partnerships designed into AUSIF. Get a firsthand perspective from the U.S. Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) senior water executive who will walk the audience through DFC’s water strategy, highlighting several key investments. AFD will point out the role and opportunity of Public Development Banks to provide needed investment capital. Sanitation and Water for All and the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund will discuss both the challenges and wins of forging partnerships and coalitions with governments.
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