MARDAN:The FANSA Pakistan KP Chapter is taking important steps towards strengthening the sustainability of the WASH Network, consolidating its relationship with provincial government institutions, and creating a stronger platform for collaboration on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.The WASH Network was established in 2023 under the Rights for Resilience (R4R) Project to bring together civil society organizations, professionals and other stakeholders working on WASH and related development issues. Under the leadership of Mrs. Gul Naz, a committed professional and women leader, the Network has progressively developed into a platform for dialogue, coordination, knowledge sharing and collective engagement on WASH priorities.
As part of its efforts to institutionalize and sustain the Network, the FANSA Pakistan KP Chapter recently facilitated a series of meetings with key provincial public-sector institutions, including the Local Council Board (LCB), the WATSAN Cell, and the Water and Sanitation Services Company (WSSC) Peshawar.The Local Council Board plays an important role in regulating and providing technical and institutional support to Municipal Administrations across the province. The WATSAN Cell is responsible for coordinating and overseeing sanitation-related interventions involving government and private-sector stakeholders, while WSSC Peshawar, as a public-sector service provider, is responsible for essential urban services including drinking-water supply and solid waste management.The interaction provided an opportunity for the WASH Network to present its vision, discuss emerging WASH challenges, and explore practical areas of collaboration with these institutions.
The meetings also highlighted the importance of building stronger links between civil society, government departments and public-sector service providers to improve coordination, accountability, knowledge sharing and community participation in WASH service delivery.These engagements mark an important step towards establishing a more structured and mutually supportive relationship between the WASH Network and provincial government stakeholders. The discussions also opened the way for developing a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that could provide a framework for cooperation, technical support, joint learning, advocacy, capacity building and coordinated action on WASH priorities.The FANSA Pakistan KP Chapter sees this process as an important pathway for ensuring that the WASH Network remains active and sustainable beyond individual projects, while continuing to provide a credible platform for civil society–government dialogue and collective action for improved WASH services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
