Minutes
Meeting UKWN
Date Thursday 18 January 2007
Location WaterAid offices, Vauxhall
Present: Ceridwen Johnson (FAN), Jennean Alkadiri (Water Aid), Stuart Orr (WWF), Tamsyn East (WDM), Mary O’Connell (Water Aid), Dave Tickner (WWF), Lucy Stevens (Practical Action), Brian Matthew, Sohrab Baghri, Elisabet Lopez (Progressio), Laura Hucks (Water Aid), Mujeeb Akhtar (Muslim Aid), Laura Webster (Tearfund), Timeyin Uweja (Water Aid).
Apologies: Steve Horton, Margaret Stewart, Nicola Macbean. Dom Verschoyle, Steve Bloomfield
1. Remarks from Chair Brief introductions
2. (JA) End Water Poverty campaign Jennean provided handouts outlining the ‘End water poverty’ campaign, due to be launched in March. WaterAid are leading but it will ideally become a joint initiative with an agreed manifesto. This will include key asks across various phases. Initial target area will be the G8 meeting in Germany and the one global action plan for water. A postcard campaign to Chancellor Merkel has begun. There will be an on-going pledge drive on the end water poverty website. A call to build an alliance toward this and other common goals.
3. Expectations for UKWN and future plans
BOND will be soliciting UKWN members to ask their opinions on the group and potential ways in which they might make this work better. Suggestions were for a permanent minute taker, regular meeting space(s). As members could we please raise these concerns with BOND individually?
UKWN’s remit was clarified, and it was agreed that this group could cover issues wider than water provision and sanitation, e.g water in food production and agricultural issues. It was noted that there are other groups trying to do similar work to UKWN. There’s a need for coherence with these and to have a wider buy in from stakeholders on the issues to have more legitimacy.
It was noted that those organisation present who make water and sanitation interventions themselves generally need to improve their own accountability to local areas where we all work. It was suggested that UKWN could work together to improve the transparency of our work? It was noted that this would potentially go beyond our current TOR, and may be less relevant to some group members. It was also agreed that we should encourage more academics to attend group meetings (NEF and IIED suggested as possible members)
4. Future plans of organisations present
WWF: Keen to re-engage with UKWN. Current work is focused on the WRM side, water supply and sanitation, virtual water research and food supply chains, infrastructure and hydropower. Also interested in climate change and water management issues.
Practical Action: involved in appropriate technology and poverty reduction and the management of river basins. Conducted work in Nairobi focused on vendors and utilities and rural water points. Their work is building partnerships and capacity building in country and are interested in climate change (adaptation and mitigation), and links between services and technology.
Progressio: Looking into water as an advocacy issue with work and research on water and agriculture.
WaterAid: Looking at development finance and cash flows to local government; involved in urban issues, nature of service delivery, mechanisms for the poor etc. They are looking at 10 case studies on civil society impacts on delivery and also accountability work in 14 countries. Also working on End Water Poverty Campaign, sanitation and looking at WRM and climate change at the programme (rather than advocacy) level.
Muslim Aid: Focusing on conflict-affected areas such as Somalia and Sri Lanka. Work on hygiene promotion in Bangladesh, water supply and environmental issues. They welcome partnerships in disaster and conflict areas and are expanding their work in 2007 to look at WATSAN and micro-credit, education and hygiene promotion.
Tearfund: Continuing research on sanitation with ODI, making stronger links between sanitation and other sectors such as health and education, building on existing research on 3 African countries. Also looking to expand research on climate change adaptation – links to water (recruiting new post), and continued lobbying work re DFID, EU, G8 etc.
Freshwater Action Network: Working in Latin America, South America and Asia and the EUWF have just announced they accept the proposal from the African network – ANEW of 1.5m Euro to strengthen the network. They are looking to strengthen partner capacity to better influence policy. Also working with WB on a scoping study on mechanisms for dialogue between cc and WB. They maintain an e-bulletin service and website on water policy. www.freshwateraction.net
WDM: Campaigning and advocacy group based in the UK trying to hold the UK gov’t to account for policies. Focus is on water, climate change and interested in DFID’s aid money on WATSAN, i.e. how are they wasting it, public sector reform at the utility level. They see water as through links to development and cc and justice issues.
5. Future meetings
Topics for discussion for future meetings. There were synergies on agriculture, IWRM, sanitation, advocacy and capacity building. There are 4 meetings a year, 2 with DFID representatives. It was agreed that the July meeting could focus on climate change.
It was agreed that Select committee enquiry could be a good time to identify issues and raise questions
ACTION POINT…Following DfiD’s response to the IDSC inquiry on 20th February, we will hold a phone conference to come up with a theme for DFID meeting in April. To include WWF, LH, WDM, BM, SB. CJ will act as coordinator.
Some issues that members think will arise are that DFID has no WATSAN strategy, IWRM, Urban strategy, accountability and that there is a need to strengthen DFiD’s capacity and link up between in-country and UK.
Regarding the IDSC, some members suggested doing some joint media work around the time of the report release and the possibility of a parliamentary debate before the summer recess. We agreed that there may be value in joint work as well as the work that individual organisations are doing.
ACTION POINT…Ask Belinda if she is able to get hold of an early copy of report 6. DFID Target Strategy Papers DFID is writing 4 Target Strategy Papers on sanitation, WRM, governance and finance. There’s a task force/steering group to work on this. They will be approaching civil society and academics and will be an e- forum after consultation. Draft strategy will be due aug/oct. Anyone can be involved in the process but we need a joined up strategy and response if we disagree with the outcomes of it.
How can we add value down the line as a group?
(BM) By keeping us up to date on issues such as just discussed
7. Update on the EUWF DFID have requested a new reformed EUWF. What this will look like is not known yet but will address more structural problems. A paper will be circulated. On the Africa working group which is hosted by Germany/France and Congo Brazzaville, there will be a meeting in March (Brazzaville) to include policy papers on IWRM and sanitation. There will be e-debates and further discussion at World Water Week in Stockholm.
Summary - a working group will discuss Hillary Benn’s response to IDSC and there will be a telephone conference to decide on content for April meeting with DfID - The topic for discussion at UKWN meeting on July 19 meeting will be Climate Change and IWRM. - Don’t forget feedback to BOND! - Can anyone volunteer to host the meeting on April 19th?
END