IASC Cluster Working Group Water, Sanitation & Hygiene

1. IASC Cluster Working Group Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Progress Report Geneva, 21-22 November 2005

2. Participation within WASH CWG Agencies involved in Global CWG • WHO, UNHCR, WFP, OCHA • Oxfam, ICRC, IFRC, MSF, ACF, REDR, Inter-Action, inter agency NGO WATSAN group • Expand to include IRC, CARE International and other key NGOs. • Observers to be invited e.g. ECHO, DFID, OFDA.

3. Key Outcomes of WASH CWG • UNICEF confirmed by CWG as Lead Agency of WASH Cluster –Action: four global telecons since September-country level CWG est. for Pakistan with daily meetings. Informal contact with members to follow up on workplan. • Secretariat (4 people, inc. secondments) to be established at UNICEF HQ to support the Cluster’s emergency preparedness and response workplan. Action: One Staff member appointed (ex-Oxfam), funded requested for other three staff from DFID/ECHO. One more in place by January. • Cadre of Senior Field Coordinators to be identified and oriented; Dedicated Senior Coordinator recruited for major emergencies. Action: SC appointed for Pakistan; UNICEF working with Human Resources to identified cadre of SCs. Generic advert to be placed for more UNICEF WES staff at senior level for both emergency and devpt. programmes. • Protocols, strategies and common standards agreed that bind agencies together in a common operational framework. Senior Field Coordinators monitor and coordinate the activities of all relevant field agencies. Action: These are under development and will be shared with cluster members in the next few weeks.

4. Priorities for Three Month Preparatory Work for WASH CWG • Capacity mapping of CWG members to continue-questionnaire circulated and exercise to be completed by Jan • Capacity mapping of four high risk countries and two geographic regions to determine existing capacity, critical gaps and necessary training. • Development of protocols for sector coordination • Mapping of major supplies and equipment of major agencies • Performance indicators-development underway and shared with CWG members.

5. Key objectives of UNICEF’s Rolein Country Level Coordination • Be the driving force in drafting/developing policy, action plans and proactive resource mobilization strategies. • Identify gaps and develop solutions to key problems within the sector • Ensure that there is sufficient capacity to allow appropriate state and field-level engagement and quality assurance. • Ensure clarity of the links with state and district level coordination structures and how the national-level bodies will provide support. • Streamline coordination reporting, feedback and information exchange between IDP or refugees camp managers, state and district level WES coordinators and the WES Sector Coordinator/WES Coordination Unit • Agency of last resort for service delivery needs

6. Outstanding Issues • How to achieve universal buy-in? Ensure tangible, useful outputs –members to see value. • How to enhance coordination for predictability without creating a bureaucracy? Keep CWG workplan focused on critical/priority activities-shift actions to regional/country level. • Role of CWG in enhancement of rapid deployment of sector professionals needs more elaboration  Further discussion on feasibility of global rosters, standby agreements and recruitment service provision. –Surge Capacity Meeting planned for January in Geneva