Mardan : A one-day awareness and capacity-building workshop titled “Promote Climate Financing for WASH: Advocate for Increased Funding and Investment in Climate-Resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Infrastructure” was organized at a local hall in Mardan. The event was held under the auspices of IRSP (Integrated Regional Support Programme) in collaboration with the Freshwater Action Network South Asia (FANSA) Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chapter.
The workshop was attended by a large number of men, women, students, social activists, and representatives from different walks of life. The primary objective of the program was to raise awareness about sustainable planning in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector, promote climate-resilient infrastructure, and highlight opportunities for climate financing in response to the growing impacts of climate change.Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Ismail, Gulnaz Raqeeb, and Nosheen Sardar of IRSP emphasized that climate change poses serious challenges to water resources and sanitation systems. They stressed that the government, development organizations, the private sector, and civil society must work together to increase investment in the WASH sector in order to ensure access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation services, and a healthier environment.The speakers further highlighted that the effective utilization of climate financing, coupled with active public participation, can significantly contribute to sustainable and environmentally friendly development while reducing the risks and impacts of future climate-related disasters.During the workshop, participants received detailed briefings on climate change, efficient water resource management, improvements in sanitation systems, and sustainable development.
An interactive question-and-answer session allowed participants to engage actively and share their views on the discussed topics.At the conclusion of the event, certificates were distributed among the participants who successfully completed the training. The attendees appreciated the initiative and described such awareness workshops as the need of the hour, expressing hope that similar programs would continue in the future to strengthen community resilience against climate change.
