Capacity Building on Water Quality Monitoring and SDG 6 (6.1) Reporting

The UN Member States have principally agreed on the Post 2015 development agenda called the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 6.1 and 6.2 are directly related to WASH sector (water and sanitation) which are required to be met within stipulated time-frame as per laid down targets.  

Through a recently approved and notified decision of Federal Cabinet, Ministry of Climate Change has been accorded mandate of WASH sector coordination at the federal level alongside with the responsibility of reporting progress and sustaining stakeholder dialogue including all federating units as well as international development partners. Although erstwhile Ministry of Environment was directly involved in development to national policies in the areas of sanitation, drinking water and PATS, this role had ceased to exist after introduction of eighteenth amendment to constitution and subsequent decentralization. Through a recent decision of federal cabinet, Ministry of Climate Change has been re-assigned this central role for WASH sector strategic planning, reporting and coordination at the federal level, necessitating establishment of a strategic planning and coordination unit. The present project aims to support establishment of such a unit at the federal level in Ministry of Climate Change. Once established, this Unit is expected to receive technical and material support from international development partners including Unicef and The World Bank. Establishment of this Unit will facilitate and fats-track progress towards achievement of SDG 6.1 and 6.2 for following specific outputs:

Putting in place an effective coordination mechanism at national level involving all federating units and relevant development partners for developing harmonization, integration and synergies among key WASH stakeholders on WASH sector reforms. 
Promoting  knowledge management, donor support, M&E, and periodic reporting mechanisms for SDGs 6.1 and 6.2 through close liaison with all federating units
Nurturing cross-sectoral linkages with other sectors (academia, private sector, CSOs working on themes of health, education, nutrition, DRM etc. ) for putting in place a holistic approach for deepening and sustaining WASH sector reforms 

Under the project, in-house capacity of Ministry of Climate Change will be augmented to enable it perform its mandate in line with Federal Government’s international commitments (including HLM, SACOSAN, SDGs attainment) in a technically sound manner, underscored by political consensus building and stakeholder collaboration. The Unit will also re-position Ministry of Climate Change to fully benefit from emerging national, regional and international deliberations and opportunities for augmenting and complimenting efforts of federating units for a robust institutional response to key WASH sector challenges in Pakistan. Last but not the least, the Unit will also serve as federal level nerve centre and jointly owned institutional platform for ensuring smooth collaboration and sustaining meaningful dialogue involving federal/provincial governments, civil society, private sector, academia and international development partners having stakes in WASH sector reforms in Pakistan.