Development and Piloting of Social Accountability (SA) Tools and Processes for Functionality of Rural Water Supply Services (FRWSS) Programme in Nepal
Supporting organization: SNV- Nepal
Partner Organization : SAP-Nepal
Project Duration : 1 september 2014 – 31 December 2014
Project Area : 11 Ilakas of Dailekh District
South Asia Partnership (SAP) Nepal in partnership with SNV, Federation of Water and Sanitation Users Groups in Nepal (FEDWASUN) and Sector Efficiency Improvement Unit (SEIU) was assigned to develop Social Accountability tools, pilot the process and make recommendations for up-scaling that would contribute to sustained functionality of rural water supply systems in Nepal. Capacity enhancement of the concerned stakeholders on different dimensions and tools of Social Accountability (SA) was a key aspect for enabling these stakeholders to adopt the SA tools namely Community Score Card (CSC), Public Hearing and Social Audit. Thus, specific objectives of the assignment were focused on designing and piloting Social Accountability tools that contribute to sustained functionality of rural water supply systems with provisions of capacity enhancement on the selected SA tools coupled with evaluation measures to develop recommendations for application of these tools at broader scale and sharing the experiences with diverse stakeholders. The assignment was implemented at full-fledged scale in Dailekh and only with district events in Jumla.
Piloting of these proven social accountability tools focusing more on functionality of drinking water supply services would guide other stakeholders in adopting the similar approaches for ensuring sustainability of their services. In this regard, knowledge sharing event planned at central level would bring other experiences of other stakeholders in using different social accountability tools in WASH sector for further refinement of these learning and approaches.
Broader partnership with diverse stakeholders created solidified efforts for increasing social accountability that contributed in increased functionality of the selected 11 schemes spread out in 11 illakas. Thus, major achievements of the interventions were:
It was realized that these SA tools should focus more on consensus building than confrontation. Continuous technical support and monitoring was highly beneficial in bringing transformation changes in the area of rural water supply functionality.
Socio-Economic Empowerment of Disadvantaged Society (SEEDS)
Goal: Economic and Social Empowerment of Disadvantaged Groups (DAGs)
Major Actions:
Agro-based enterprise promotion
Micro Finance
Local Institution Development
Health and Education
Resource Provider: CLO, Canada
Social-Economic Transformation (SET) Program for Disadvantaged Groups
Goal: Creation of condition for enhancing sustainable social harmony, peace and socio-economic development.
Major Actions:
Promotion and strengthening MDOs/MDGs
Self help community development programs
Community investment scheme
Program orientation, review and monitoring
Resource Provider: World Accord, Canada
Promoting Peace and Democratization Process In Terai Madhesh
Goal: Creation of an environment for marginalized groups of the Terai Madhesh to relate themselves with constitution making and own the new constitution of Nepal.
Major Actions:
· Resource Provider: Canadian Cooperation Office, Nepal
Community Peace Building Program Through Women Group Empowerment
Program location: 21 VDCs of Banke, Bardiya and Surkhet districts
Implementing partners: Tharu Women Upliftment Center, Bardia and Social Awareness Center Nepal, Surkhet
Program Duration : 1 January 2010 to 31 June 2013
Goal: To establish peaceful and harmonious society in 21 action villages of Program Districts – Banke, Bardiya, Surkhet
Major Actions:
Major Quantitative results
Beneficiaries
Total number of beneficiaries : 164,396 (Female 126452 i.e. 77% and Male 37944 i.e. 23%)
Secondary beneficiaries double of the direct beneficiaries i.e. 328,892.
Few major qualitative results :
Livestock Distribution:
Improved family income sources from livestock raising
Used animal waste as farm yard manure for vegetable cultivation
Enhanced participation of women in program activities due to tangible economic benefit from livestock program
Increased visibility of the program
Key results of the interventions are:
Increased practices of consuming fresh vegetables produced in the farm of women groups members and maintained balanced diet to improve the health of family member
Increased source of income to women group members of program areas by sailing vegetable in nearby markets
Fodder Supplies
Started practice of planting fodder in community forestry by women group members of Bake
Increased awareness and knowledge among beneficiary women on fodder management for proper livestock management
Increased quantity of fodder production in the farm land of women group members to feed their livestock
Peace Building Seminar workshop, Campaign and Interaction :
Some of the major results of the interventions are:
Sensitized community people on negative aspects of conflict in the community
Updated and forwarded the list of conflict victims with recommendation to provide relief package to Local Peace Committee of Government
Made commitment by VLPCs of program VDCs to provide relief package to conflict victims
Enhanced knowledge transformation about peace education to parents through their school going children
Increased collaborative efforts to conduct peace building events through school and youth clubs
Some Effects/Impact level results
Initiated collective farming by some group members thereby promoting social harmony
Initiated collective peace building campaigns by women group members in collaboration with other local organizations
Increased access of group members to resources and services of local government and non-governmental organizations
Increased group fund through collective daily wage work in plantation and harvest season
Increased level of income of women group members through livestock based income generation activities
Increased cooperation and support of government line-agencies to the women groups, Program Management Committee and Village Level Peace Committee
Increased participation of women, dalit and other disadvantaged communities in the program activities
Increased practice of participatory decision making process in groups contributing to increased confidence of marginalized sections
Resource Provider: European Union