-Encourages Improved Sanitation In Government
By Vaye A. Lepolu
The Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA) WASH Caucus recently held a sector MAC engagement with the Legislature, with a call for action on improvement in sanitation in government.
The engagement was specifically held on February 28, 2024. At said event, the advocacy and communication manager of Compassion for Humanity (C4H Weemon Jallah Cole said, that after the development issues from the resources gathered in the first advocacy documents, were presented to panthers showing the intentions of their Advocacy, She said the support was given to reach to the second level of engagement.
According to Madam Weemon Jallah Cole, in the presented documents to partners in the first engagement meeting, strategy issues were established regarding how to avoid all Stakeholders and actors in the WASH sector and also to set a committee to achieve their goals.
She noted that all the Advocacy engagement meetings were focused on three objects that have to do with, the establishment of the WASHing Committee so that by the end of 2024 they have to be established to excise the oversight function and improve WASH governance.
Meanwhile, madam Jallah Cole said, that the identification of inadequate budgetary support from the national legislature is another factor, she stated that the issue of Finance is a major issue for the growth of the committee, when there are no financial services, all efforts Will be wasted.
The head person on Advocacy and communication manager for C4H, Madam Jallah Cole is appealing to the Chairperson on the WASH Commission Committee at the 55th National Legislature, Representative Thomas A. Goshua for budgetary allotment with 8.3 percent of the national budget at the end of 2025 and that will improve the sanitation sector across Liberia.
However, she said sanitation capacity and strengthening improvement are other factors in WASH governance in which the Caucus to engage with the performance of the WASH committee CSO and Stakeholders to a better analysis to craft a policy towards WASH governance.
She added that, at the end of those policies, the committee will manage their role and WASH activities will improve to see sanitation capacity through WASH governance.
Madam Cole stressed that the committee also outlet five (5) strategy approaches to reach their goals, which include: developing comprehensive advocacy Campaign materials, partnership and collaboration, media engagement, and legislative engagement.
According to her, all those approaches are helping the committee to achieve its goals, media engagement is one of their main partner in frosting the growth of the committee, and legislative engagement is another sign of budgetary support for a committee.
Meanwhile, Jallah Cole the first national WASH CSO’s Network and stakeholders engagement under the project at Corina Hotel was focused on the causes of the WASH sector challenges, sharing knowledge on amicable ways to respond to these challenges, and deepening the understanding of how Legislative oversight and fiduciary responsibilities through a WASH Standing Committee at the Legislature is key to addressing sector challenges.
However, weemon Jallah Cole said the presentation was also on the need to establish a WASH Standing Committee in the National Legislature, highlighting WASH sector challenges and sanitation budget financing analysis, as the Project Lead of the USAID funded Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA) implemented by a PSI-led consortium of four international NGO’s and sub granted to Compassion for Humanity (C4H) Liberia where I serve as the Advocacy and Communication Manager.
Madam Jallah Cole outlet 4 key areas of the CWSA project which include: 1. Improved Sanitation Governance, 2. Increased financing for sanitation, 3. Adoption of key sanitation behaviors, and 4. Strengthened sanitation markets.
The C4H’s “Legislative Engagement to Formalize the WASH Caucus into a Standing Committee in the National Legislature” contributes to the first 2 result areas.
