There is a high interdependence between Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and Water Resources Management. A sustainable supply of good quality drinking water highly depends on how properly the water sources are managed. Similarly, if WASH services provision is not sustainably managed it will have a huge negative impact on the water resource.
The UNICEF and USAID supported project to strengthen the Water Sector Working Group (WSWG) Secretariat started in July 2015 with the aim of establishing a well-functioning platform for the water sector consisting of the WASH and Water Resources Management (WRM) subgroups that contribute to the sustainable development and management of the water resources in the country.
The project has been supporting the reactivation of the WRM Sub Group and the organization of the first-ever Joint Technical Review (JTR) for the WRM sub-sector. The main purpose of the JTR is to bring various stakeholders together and ensure a sustainable coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximise the economic and social welfare of the population. This is the basis for the ongoing and future water sector interventions in general and One WASH National Programme in particular.
Developing climate resilient sustainable WASH services under the umbrella of One WASH National Programme require looking into the bigger water resources management picture, including the protection of water sources and the overall water governance issues. To this end, the reactivation and capacitation of the WRM subgroup and the launching of the JTR is significantly contributing to the development of a clear and common agenda for the water resources sector in Ethiopia.
The WRM sub-group has been able to bring together three concerned Ministries: Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity (MoWIE); Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources (MALR); and Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and key development partners (DPs), academia and civil society organizations (CSOs).
The priorities established by the WRM sub-group include: 1.Irrigation for growth; 2.Legislation of groundwater use; 3. Conflict resolution; 4. Communication/Management Information System; 5. Institutional and Human Capacity; 6. Water quality; and 7. Water Charges/Tariff and Scheme Sustainability. Following the identification of the priority areas, six WRM technical working groups have been established to further pinpoint key bottlenecks and gaps.
Opening speech by H. E. Ato Kebede Gerba, the state Minister of MoWIE. © UNICEF Ethiopia/2018/Jorge Alvarez-Sala
On the 19th April 2018, the WRM JTR kick-off meeting was successfully held by involving more than 85 participants from academic institutions, CSOs, development partners, basin authorities, concerned federal ministries, and regional bureaus of water, environment and agriculture. The workshop was attended by H.E. Ato Kebede Gerba, the state Minister of MoWIE and H.E Ato Kare Chewicha, the state Minister of MoEFCC. It has laid the foundation by bringing the three ministries (MoWIE, MoEFCC and MoANR) together to talk about water resources management in the country.
Currently, the six working groups are actively organizing a field mission to review the state of WRM in three selected river basins (Awash River Basin, Rift Valley Lakes Basin and Abay River Basin) and come up with high impact implementable actions. The findings of the field mission will feed into the upcoming Multi Stakeholders Forum, which will bring both WASH and WRM subsectors together for the first time.
The whole process of JTR and MSF is expected to culminate in the preparation of a National WRM Programme document, which is currently being developed with technical and financial support from UNICEF.
UNICEF’s support to the Water Sector Working Group (WSWG), and its sub-groups is possible thanks to the generosity and support of USAID. The JTR kick-off meeting was also financially supported by JICA and the Italian Cooperation Agency.
Author UNICEF EthiopiaPosted on May 9, 2018 May 8, 2018 Categories Ethiopia, HIS, Press Release, WASHTags One wash, wash, water conservation, water resources managementLeave a comment on Linking One WASH National Programme and Water Resources Management: UNICEF Ethiopia’s Leverage in the Sector	
8 March 2018, ADDIS ABABA – On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Government of Canada is pleased to provide CDN$ 14.8 million (US$ 12 million) to UNICEF Ethiopia to improve the reproductive health and nutritional status of adolescent girls. The initiative will reach over four million girls in districts with high food insecurity and a high prevalence of child marriage. It will be implemented between 2018 and 2022.
“We appreciate the timely support from the Government of Canada which will allow us to address the challenges that Ethiopian adolescent girls face today,” says Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF Representative in Ethiopia. “We believe that this contribution will help adolescent girls break out of discriminatory social and gender norms that hamper their education and hinder their ability to meaningfully contribute to their nation’s development.”
Author UNICEF EthiopiaPosted on March 8, 2018 March 8, 2018 Categories Adolescents, DFATD, Ethiopia, Health, Nutrition, Press Release, WASHTags canada, girls, Reproductive health1 Comment on Canada partners with UNICEF to improve reproductive health and nutrition among adolescent girls in Ethiopia	
MIND THE GAP – BABYWASH Launched on World Toilet Day to Improve Integrated Early Childhood Development in Ethiopia
When you travel in a car through Addis Ababa, you will note that adult women and men vary greatly in height. There are tall people and short people. So which ones of these are actually stunted? And why? Scientifically stunting is defined as a reduced growth rate in human development and is a primary manifestation of malnutrition or more accurately under nutrition. The definition of stunting according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) is for the “height for age” value to be less than two standard deviations of the WHO Child Growth Standards median.
So how does under nutrition occur? Recent scientific evidence suggests that under nutrition is a result of recurrent infections such as diarrhoea or helminthiasis in early childhood and even before birth. In 2016, UNICEF Ethiopia, published a blog entitled BABY WASH – the missing piece of the puzzle[1]?, in which evidence from a paper published by UNICEF and John Hopkins University in the Journal of Tropical Medicine and International Health[2] highlighted the need to target interventions to reduce unsafe practices of disposal of baby and child faeces. To convert this evidence into action, the Government of Ethiopia, UNICEF and partners have developed a BABYWASH implementation guideline. The guideline aims at contributing to improving Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) through improving the baby and child environment.
Lack of knowledge on the health risk related to child faeces is a key factor behind poor hygiene practices in faeces disposal. ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2017/Mulugeta Ayene
The 2017 World Toilet Day was a perfect opportunity to launch the BABYWASH guideline. The document includes guidance on how to implement programmes with safe disposal of child faeces, providing protective environments through play mats and similar measures as well as prevention of soil transmitted helminths. The strategy was endorsed for implementation alongside regular safe sanitation and hygiene practices which are already being promoted by health extension workers. In his statement, H.E Dr Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health of Ethiopia said, “In Ethiopia, there is a common misconception that children’s faeces are not harmful while evidence shows otherwise. The current sanitation and hygiene promotion efforts, at times, overlook safe disposal of children’s faeces. In addition, most toilets are not designed keeping children’s special needs in mind. Hence, I am proud to endorse the Baby WASH manual today which was developed by the Federal Ministry of Health with the support of UNICEF and other partners in order to ensure a healthy environment for children’s growth and development especially those under three years of age.”
Ms Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF Representative to Ethiopia on her part said, “UNICEF is pleased to support the Ministry of Health in preparing these excellent guidelines on Baby WASH. We know that a contaminated environment harms infants and young children and puts them at risk of increased child mortality and stunting. Together, we have to ensure that parents and guardians, teachers and community leaders are aware of the importance of Baby WASH.”
According to the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) baseline survey on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene carried out in eight regions of Ethiopia, there is a general misconception about child faeces disposal. The survey showed that a lack of knowledge on the health risk related to child faeces is a key factor behind poor hygiene practices in faeces disposal. According to the survey, only half (49 per cent) of women knew that child faeces are dangerous to health. Misconception is higher among rural pastoralist women where only 39 per cent said child faeces are dangerous as compared with 50 per cent among rural non-pastoralist women and 54 per cent of women in urban areas. Although it may not be clear who is stunted and who is not just by looking at a child, it’s clear that safe disposal of child faeces helps improve a child’s health. Therefore, UNICEF will continue to support the Government with the implementation of the guideline throughout the country.
Author UNICEF EthiopiaPosted on November 22, 2017 November 22, 2017 Categories Baby WASH, ECD, Ethiopia, Health, Nutrition, SDG, WASHLeave a comment on MIND THE GAP – BABYWASH Launched on World Toilet Day to Improve Integrated Early Childhood Development in Ethiopia	
Addis Ababa, 15 November 2017 – Today, Ethiopia celebrated World Toilet Day by holding a half-day workshop with the theme “Safe Disposal of Child Faeces.”
At the workshop, the national ‘Baby WASH’ strategy, which focuses on hygiene of children under three years, was endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Health. The strategy includes safe disposal of child faeces, providing protective environments through play mats and similar measures as well as prevention of soil transmitted helminths. The strategy will be implemented alongside regular safe sanitation and hygiene practices which are already being promoted by health extension workers.
At the workshop, the national ‘Baby WASH’ strategy, which focuses on hygiene of children under three years, was endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Health. ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2017/Mulugeta Ayene
In his statement, H.E Dr Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health said, “In Ethiopia, there is a common misconception that children’s faeces are not harmful while evidence shows otherwise. The current sanitation and hygiene promotion efforts, at times, overlook safe disposal of children’s faeces. In addition, most toilets are not designed keeping children’s special needs in mind. Hence, I am proud to endorse the Baby WASH manual today which was developed by the Federal Ministry of Health with the support of UNICEF and other partners in order to ensure a healthy environment for children’s growth and development especially those under three years of age.”
According to the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) baseline survey on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene carried out in eight regions of Ethiopia, there is a general misconception about child faeces disposal. The survey showed that a lack of knowledge on the health risk related to child faeces is a key factor behind poor hygiene practices in faeces disposal. According to the survey, only half (49 per cent) of women knew that child faeces are dangerous to health. Misconception is higher among rural pastoralist women where only 39 per cent said child faeces are dangerous as compared with 50 per cent among rural non-pastoralist women and 54 per cent of women in urban areas.
A strong early childhood foundation, which includes a safe and hygienic environment coupled with adequate nutrition as well as nurturing parenting and stimulation for optimal brain development, is critical to ensure toddlers can develop to their full potential. This will facilitate a smooth transition to primary school and a better chance of successfully completing basic education. Therefore, investing in early childhood development through improved hygiene practices and environments is one of the most critical and cost‑effective ways to improve a child’s future health, education and productivity.
The Ministry of Health and UNICEF urge citizens, parents, teachers, health workers, policy makers and government officials to play their role in making sure that every child receives the benefits of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in their homes, communities, schools and health facilities.
Author UNICEF EthiopiaPosted on November 15, 2017 November 15, 2017 Categories ECD, Ethiopia, Health, Nutrition, Press Release, WASH1 Comment on ‘BABY WASH’ boosted at this year’s World Toilet Day in Ethiopia