Water Aid Ghana Equity and Inclusion Context Achievement

Water. Aid Ghana Equity and Inclusion Context, Achievement, challenge, lessons and recommendations

Introduction Equity and inclusion is a mission critical issue in WA E&I framework is among the six WA frameworks guiding WA support. E&I is also a political catch-word in many African countries as there many poor and deprived people Categorization/dissagregation of deprived people is needed in programme support

Ghana (Africa) Context • Equitable and inclusive WASH design and execution is fundamental to WASH sustainability • It is also the heart beat of universal access – Because vulnerable people are poorly mobilized and thus are unable to effectively demand for their WASH rights and take responsibility • WASH poverty is a political agenda as the powerlessness of vulnerable groups and the power of powerful groups have perpetuated it.

Cont Water. Aid vision of a world where every one has access to WASH will not be achieved unless vulnerable/weak are brought into WASH design and execution. Ghana’s total population is 24, 223, 431 (males form 48. 7% and females constitute 51. 3 %) 4 million (20%) persons with disability in Ghana (one out of every five Ghanaians) 43. 06% constitute dependent pop and 56. 94% constitute adults

Water. Aid Ghana’s response • Three broad initiatives were launched in 2011 to deepen E&I work in the CP: – African Women in Leadership in WASH – Mainstreaming Equity and Inclusion in WASH programming and living the value as an organisation – Facilitating a platform to advocate for the essential role WASH play in human development in an equitable and inclusive basis.

African Women Leadership in WASH This was launched to respond to global and national trends in women’s participation in political and public life. The Initiative aims at increasing female participation in WASH leadership and decision making at national, district, and community levels. WAG held first High Level Women in Leadership meeting for women Parliamentarians, Ministers and Key sector officials in Accra dubbed “Building alliance to further equity and inclusion”. • Raising the Profile of Women Leaders in WASH • Identifying and profiling women leaders in WASH – Documentary “Jane Oko The WASH Champion” on National TV – WAG Newsletter Dawuro

Mainstreaming E &I in WASH prog. The purpose is to develop a shared understanding on E&I in WASH programming and to provide opportunity to reflect on how the CP is taking forward E&I Regular update and refresher meetings CP Monday meetings Annual and mid-year review meetings with partners/collaborators and stakeholders Monitoring support visit with partners Weekly email updates and learning

Working with wider development stakeholders The aim is to promote and advocate for the essential role of WASH in human development. Brought together 25 NGOs (research, agric, health, national education coalition, state agencies, academia etc) to form a platform called PLAT-NET for social inclusion in WASH Issued a communiqué in July 2012 for the 18 th Conference of Ministers of Education of the Commonwealth in Mauritius from 27 th -31 st August 2012 Link education sector plans to other sectors to improve coordination Call for separate toilet facilities

Key success factors • There is commitment within WAG (SMT) to uncover gaps and improve the need for improved WASH facility designs to meet the needs of vulnerable groups. • There are national laws, frameworks and policies such as the disability law, gender framework, water and sanitation to regulate activities of service provided • Media

A Quick walk through

Programming • Baseline data collection format with clear sex segregation & No. Persons with disability • Support the development of WASH Local Development Plan (LDPs) which clearly maps out excluded communities for prioritization and proper targeting • Advocate for at least 50% seat for women in WATSAN committees • Segregated participants into female and males • Inclusive WASH facilities-inclusive institutional latrine design in place

WAG Inclusive Institutional design

A Walk through Before After

Challenges Inadequate awareness by Lead agencies like CWSA and the Sanitation Directorate on disability friendly latrines designs and physical construction of some sector players in the country Designs and technological options mostly not disability -friendly at the sector level

What the CP is doing? Working with the wider development network – Plat. Net for social inclusion in WASH to scale up education Using budget tracking reports to advocate for appropriate targeting during national fora Documenting and sharing the best practices of using WASH plans to identify dark spots Using national and international campaigns to call on government and stakeholders to be responsive to WASH designs

Learning and recommendation The need to build the capacity/buy in of stakeholders to recognise the importance of bridging and ensuring inclusive participation The need to recognise the vulnerable and the poor as agent and active participants in WASH programming The need to quote vulnerable people in their own words could encourage other vulnerable groups to participate in initiatives that seek to improve their conditions

Next steps for the CP Intensify work with women in leadership positions to spur the initiative on African women in leadership Profile and showcase occupying key government leadership role Create and build a strong alliance with parliamentary women caucus Mobilizing, training and providing information Document the experience (good and bad) of women in WATSAN committees and other national level committees to further Water. Aid Ghana’s WASH policy influencing agenda Organise quarterly awareness raising meetings and review of progress with stakeholders

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