City Wide
Inclusive Sanitation, supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in
Nepal drags the attention of major stakeholders to stand for safely managed inclusive
sanitation services. Presenting the figure of only 11% of population having
connected to the sewerage system, the special effort from community to policy
level requires minimizing the gaps as well as take this that opportunity for
enhancing the sanitation services.
UN-Habitat
Nepal in leadership with the Ministry of Water Supply (MoWS) hosted the
Stakeholder Workshop on Policy Assessment on CWIS findings.
Sharing the
presentation on recently carried out policy research and an overview of the
CWIS project, Ms. Sudha Shrestha, National Professional Officer – WaSH
representing UN-Habitat lauded that CWIS conceptual framework is a universally
accepted framework to ensure equitable, safe, and economically viable
sanitation services for everyone living in the city. She believed that after
the country's ODF declaration, inclusive sanitation needs to be the preferred
concept aiming to increase access to safe sanitation for all, everywhere, all
the time.
This project
is supported by BMGF for CWIS promotion and advancement in Nepal and Kenya
through UN-Habitat and in Ethiopia and Bangladesh through UNICEF.
Presenting the
findings of policy assessment Urban legal legislation expert, Sanjaya Adhikary
presented the status of Nepal in sanitation services. With The rapid
urbanization, these issues are being more complex and pathetic day by day if
the Government of Nepal in support of development partners won’t address this on
time. Recalling the present status, he emphasized that the government entities
haven't carried out the systematic study and uniform data in WaSH.
The
Constitution of Nepal has envisioned the WASH Services as fundamental rights
and basic sanitation in the jurisdiction of the local government but with the
lack of technical expertise and knowledge it can’t happen as expected. Even the
role, responsibilities and accountability of Municipal, provincial, and federal
government is still not clear in this federal transition so far, they are
hardly engaging in sanitation service priorities and policy round table
dialogues for enhancing sanitation services.
The Government
of Nepal must focus on national urban sanitation streamlining the sanitation
policy that reflects the regulatory framework on on-site sanitation in urban
and rural areas apart from sewered services.
Chief guest of
the event, Suresh Acharya, Secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply thanked
the presenters for the insightful presentation on inclusive sanitation. He has
committed that MoWS will lead in policy discourse cum implementation of CWIS
concept in Nepal. He recalled that the Nepal government has already envisioned
meeting the SDG 6 indicators by 2030 where CWIS concept will accelerate to achieve
the major milestones.
“Safer
sanitation shouldn’t be limited within the construction of toilets at household
level where the entire government and development entities should contribute to
manage the complete cycle of fecal sludge management based upon their area of
expertise.” he added.
Joining the
event in virtual mode from UN-Habitat Kenya, Mr. Hezekiah Pireh
focused the parameters and implementing strategy of CWIS in WaSH sector. He
highlighted that each indicator of CWIS is common in both developing and
developed nations, taking WaSH and global agenda which need to be addressed by
sharing the knowledge, skills, and practice.
Dr. Tameez Ahmad
from UNICEF Nepal Office thanked the Nepal Government in brainstorming the CWIS
indicators and model targeting to the future generation. He simplified that no
concept is newer to Nepal, but the strategic implementation is foremost in
collaborative approach. He also highlighted that we all should take pride in
what we have achieved in the sector and need to build on it.
Speaking over
the program former secretary and WaSH Expert Suman Sharma recommended for the
collaborative effort to pass on the key fundamentals of CWIS from top to bottom
approach. Recalling the best practices from neighboring countries he clarified
that the community movement on safer and equitable sanitation is essential for
better WaSH but the land acquisition would be a major issue for inclusive
sanitation approach in the core cities area. As ODF phase focused on household
sanitation access and their respective responsibility, now we need to graduate
to city responsibilities and its accountability. He also highlightes that Municipal
wide governance and City Wide Solutions is the approach of CWIS. Like in ODF
campaign the message is clear and standardized, with CWIS also the unified
clear message across value chain is required
The thematic
working group has been formed under the coordination of Joint Secretary from
MoWS Meena Shrestha to promote City Wide Inclusive Sanitation programs focusing
on the cities of Nepal. Yogendra Chitrakar, Sr. Divisional Engineer from MoWS
informed that the mutual coordination of existing 16 organizations is mandatory
and shouldn’t be limited in numbers to establish the agendas and framework of
CWIS at community level pooling the resource and expertise within CWIS Alliance
Nepal formed recently.
The
scaling of officials and elected bodies at local level through extensive
program, workshops and roundtable discussion will be fruitful in implementation
added by Maheshwor Ghimire from Ministry of Federal Affairs and General
Administration. And the practical aspects aligning with conditional grants with
sanitation services under MoFAGA. In federalism this policy review can be
milestone. Either Sewered or non sewered the role of municipalities to be
cleared. Capacity development and institutional arrangement are crucial
(palikas not even have units and focal points for sanitation) and Multi stakeholders’
responsibility is vital at all levels. Capacity enhancement also of lose forums
beyond government is crucial for engagement. Need
resource and financial discipline as current stage 80% Road priority and
Sanitation is least priority. Clarity whether CWIS is cost recovery model or
subsidy model. Lead role is of local government and to gear the concept of WASH
Board will work. Private sector engagement but from profit making angle: how
CWIS can be conducive to private sector.
From CSOs
Rajendra Aryal, National President from Federation of Drinking Water and
Sanitation Consumers (Fedwasan) said that Safer sanitation should be treated as
a social and political agenda. He stated that the upcoming election of local
level, he focused that the public should be proactive in making accountable to
political parties and series of focal group discussions, bilateral/
multilateral meetings and media engagement is required to simplify the CWIS
indicators among the public.
Kamal
Adhikari, Sr. sociologist at the Ministry of Urban Development committed for
the exercise in adding the major indicators of CWIS in would be established
urban development policy of the ministry. He emphasized that MoWS and
development partners shouldn’t be limited in piloting the project as we need
strong movement in every tier of government. Public Health and environment are the crucial thrust of CWIS which investigates
on:
i.
Environment concern
ii.
Social concern and
iii.
Public Health concern. And inclusion in
terms of both the people and place is crucial.
In the QA
session, officials and experts representing the different entities welcomed the
concept of CWIS and expressed their exclusive remarks in proper implementation
of indicators with strong commitment in lining to the institutional thematic
agenda with innovation, clarity on scope and implementation approach.
Ms. Meena
Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply thanked participants
for their critical review and discourse on the CWIS thematic indicators. She
suggested providing the written feedback via email in the way forward or any
sections of the presentation. Adding more the role of jurisdiction of the
three-tier government set back the WaSH movement after the country ODF
declaration where MoWS is trying to collaborate among the key stakeholders
through consultation, conversation, and coordination for implementation of CWIS
initiatives in Nepal which is way forward of the sector. The inter-ministerial
coordination is vital, and ministry will look into this enhancement. NWASH MIS
portal that Ministry had initiated may be the key entry point for advancing
CWIS framework in Sector.