IRC Ghana Building WASH systems for the Sustainable Development Goals -  Ghana Our vision is of a world where WASH services are fundamental utilities that everyone is able to take for granted, for good. Our mission is to act as a think-and-do-tank working with local and national governments, non-governmental organisations and with people in communities to help them to build the systems that will achieve this vision. 
We have a new 14-year Strategic Framework covering the period 2017-30, which is focused on our contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.  This includes a medium-term plan for the next five years (2017-21) which contains key results and activities. The Theory of Change underpinning our strategy sets out our core role as a change hub – at global, national and district levels – supporting broad networks of partners to build the national and local systems necessary for universal and sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030.
In order to achieve this goal there has to be a focused and deliberate effort to strengthen local and national systems. In particular, it requires strong local and national government systems for planning, financing and monitoring water and sanitation service delivery. It also calls for improved systems of aid effectiveness between development partners and governments.
Working in partnership (through collective action) to build strong national systems is at the heart of our strategy. Because we are members of an important set of networks and alliances, we are well positioned to play the role of a global change hub in pursuit of SDG 6. 1. Creation of a global hub to support the Agenda for Change, SWA and other partnerships:
- A strong partnership of NGOs and philanthropists committed to the Agenda for Change 
- Successful advocacy for national systems building, increased finance and appropriate financial models for the sector
- Successful advocacy for service delivery; government leadership; use of national systems; public finance; research and learning in the global WASH arena
- Effective global sharing of news, evidence, experience, tools and approaches

Key results by 2021: Agenda for Change recognised as a catalytic movement achieving visible results; increased sector support for, and understanding of, national and local systems building; increased sector support for public finance as a critical element of WASH financing

2. Creation of national hubs supporting the Agenda for Change partnerships in all our six current and up to four new countries:
- Creation of hubs and partnerships
- Development and implementation of strategies for national systems strengthening
- Effective advocacy for increased government leadership and public finance
- Effective advocacy for increased focus on gender mainstreaming and ensuring access for marginalised socio-economic groups
- Effective support of knowledge management (e.g., documentation, sharing, learning platforms)

Key results by 2021: Strong government-led partnerships with clear visions, strategies and plans for achieving universal access by 2030; Ngor and other commitments for public finance to the WASH sector are being respected; significant progress on national level building blocks (priority finance and monitoring), increased equity of access for women and marginalised groups