Water is life, a social good and a human right and should be treated as such!!!!!!!

While civil society in the WASH sector  in Africa and around is fighting to get the right to water recognized in our constitutions and accepted by governments, the fight still seem far from being won in some places. When access to water becomes very expensive, the vulnerable especially women and children are the hardest hit (especially those found in very poor areas). Women are responsible for providing water at home. Also, being responsible for many household chores that requires the use of water makes women bear the brunt in the rising cost of this necessary commodity (be it a rural or urban woman).

The Ugandan government in this year’s budget reading decided to put an 18% tax on water. The government has however decided to build a hospital to cater for the general wellbeing of women: thus to cut down on maternal and child mortality and other health related issues.

Water related diseases such as cholera, dysentery are most common health related diseases that affect many in the urban slums and poor areas. Women and children are equally the most affected in these cases. How will the poor cope when water becomes less affordable? It is very important to provide more health facilities. However tackling only the curative is not the best solution. Prioritizing the preventive is much more important. Why not prevent such diseases by making water affordable so that other sanitation and hygiene related diseases can be tackled.

Follow link to read an interesting article: http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/632155-budget-women-cry-foul-over-water-make-up-taxes.html

WASH GOVERNANCE PROJECT STARTS IN UGANDA

“Improving Governance in urban and rural Water Service Delivery through capacity building and use of a Community Score Card”
To promote good governance, NGOs must first practice good governance. This was the advice given by the Country Representative of Water Aid Uganda at a three days start up workshop for the beneficiary CSOs (of the NGO fund) who will be implementing the good government project.

NGOs must also be accountable

The objectives of the workshop were to:

• To share details of the projects to be funded under this programme and identify linkages with ongoing sector activities
• To discuss ways and opportunities to harmonize good governance tools and optimize synergies among CSOs
• Enhance the skills of CSOs in general governance concepts and advocacy cycle.

• Enhance the understanding of project financial management, reporting and compliance

 The Good governance project is a two and half year’s project funded by DANIDA with the aim of improving the quality of water service delivery through improved governance. It also serves as part of the Ministry of Water and Environment’s Good Governance Sector Working Group Action Plan of scaling up the Community Score Card.

The overall objective of the project is to “promote better governance in the water sector by fostering transparency, social accountability and efficient communication”

Support from Development Partners

Ms. Grace Waako, the DANIDA representative emphasized Denmark’s continuous interest in good governance in the sector and hoped that the contributions of CSOs to the sector will continue to yield good results. She recognized that CSOs have great capacity in soft-ware activities in the water sector and urged them to use it to their comparative advantage other than competing with others in different fields.

“Development Partners supports the country through different programmes and through direct government funding and so will be happy to know if these funds are channeled to the beneficiaries intended for. Therefore CSOs are depended on to ensure that these funds are adequately used”. Says Ms. Waako.

Show Casing activities

There were poster presentations by the various CSOs. The presentations showed the activities each intended to carry out on the project. The objectives of the various presentations focused on improving WASH service delivery and the target beneficiaries.

Participants also benefitted from the good governance and advocacy sessions where they were given the chance to share experiences and also learn from some presentations.

The country representative for WaterAid Uganda pledged WaterAid Ugandan’s support to civil societies who promoted good governance. She informed all that plans are being put in place to allow civil societies and NGOs fit into the existing government frame. CSOs and NGOs would report financially and technically to the districts they work in.

by Basilia Nanbigne

Documentation is the word

Basi

In life we learn alot. From birth, we learn to sit, walk, talk, write, read etc. When growing up and in school, we study, pass ur exams etc. At university we keep learning, after school, we work and still keep learning. We never stop learning.

Most of us can reflect on what we have learnt in live. But does it occur to us to document our lessons in life?

Training on Life cycle cost