Collective Civil Society Voice Results in More Allocations of Government Finances to the WASH Sector in Zambia

From the time water and sanitation sector reforms started in Zambia in the late 1980s,
NGOs and Civil Society Organisations had no defined space for their collective
participation. As a result, their influence on policies and service delivery has been
limited. Most NGOs have been focusing on implementing community projects with little
collaboration with government institutions at national, provincial, district level and with other stakeholders. Similarly their interactions with communities have largely focused
on stimulating community participation and little on voice strengthening.

Thus, despite low access to safe water and improved sanitation communities’ demand
for quality WASH services has been low. Their voices have been weak to speak up and
table their needs before service providers, law and policy makers. Communities’ silence
has continued to hamper equitable provision of WASH services. Meanwhile, outbreaks
of cholera and dysentery, especially during rainy periods have been high, threatening
national progress towards meeting MDG targets to reduce the proportion of people
without access to clean water from about five million in 2005 (with a higher population
residing in rural areas) to less than two million. Similarly, national progress towards
increasing access to adequate sanitation has been slow.

In August 2007, Oxfam GB, Care International, WaterAid Zambia and UNICEF, initiated
the NGO WASH Forum in order to foster effective coordination, collaboration and
networking amongst NGOs and strengthen their capacities to fulfil their roles and
potential in the water supply and sanitation sector. This was done in consultation with
the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, This was to contribute to the national
goals to improve water and sanitation coverage and reduce poverty. Eventually, the
Forum attracted participation from over twenty NGOs (International, Youth, Local and
CBOs).