Newsletter of Skat - Swiss Resource Centre and Consultancies for
Development
Dear Friends and Partners,
The electronic newsletter of Skat is sent to you approximately three times
each year. Skat News provides you with brief summaries of recent and
ongoing projects, links you to further information and documents, and
provides you with relevant contact addresses. Your feedback at
mailto:info@skat.ch is welcome.
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Skat Projects and Activities
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*** Decentralisation Support to Ukraine ***
For many years, Skat has been involved in the conceptual support of a
number of projects in Ukraine funded by SDC and implemented through UNDP.
These projects have tried and tested successful regarding community
participation through social mobilisation. Social mobilisation has not only
proven to work in Ukraine (including the Crimea), but the projects have
also clearly confirmed that communities are able to organise themselves
into groups being able to plan and implement significant improvements of
communal services such as water supply, environmental sanitation, and
health. However, in order to sustain the benefits of this new approach
social mobilisation needs to become an integral part of the local
government system that is responsive to the local communities' needs.
In response to this, SDC developed the new project "Decentralization
Support to Ukraine" during 2006. The project is expected to create
mechanisms, which aim at integrating community based services into the
local government system. Based on the long-standing experiences in
community mobilization in Ukraine, particularly in Crimea, SDC entrusted
Skat with the implementation of the project in late 2006. The aim of the
project is to demonstrate that communal services can be substantially
improved through a stronger involvement of communities into decision-making
by adopting decentralized mechanisms. The project will also develop and
promote approaches that enable local and central governments to provide
efficient and effective services at the community level by using their own
funds and capacities. The build up phase covers the period 2007-2009. For
further information please contact Juerg Christen (mailto:info@skat.ch)
*** 5th International RWSN Forum, 27th - 30th Nov 2006, Accra, Ghana ***
Scaling up Local Entrepreneurship in Rural Water Supply to meet the MDGs
The purpose of the 5th RWSN Forum was to provide participants with an
improved, in-depth understanding of the concepts, opportunities, and
challenges of scaling up local entrepreneurship to help achieve the MDGs
for rural water supply. The Forum provided a refreshing new perspective on
rural water supply and afforded a total of 290 participants from 39
countries broad ranging opportunities for dialogue and sharing of country
experiences and ideas related to RWSN's three flagship themes, namely: Self
supply - encouraging and supporting the initiatives that rural households
undertake to improve their access to safe water by relying on local
capacity; Cost effective boreholes - proposing approaches which can reduce
borehole costs and ensure construction quality; Sustainable hand pumps -
improving functionality and supporting sustainable rural water services.
Africa needs progress in rural areas, the rural water challenge requires
increased investment and better coordination, but is constrained by policy
gaps at the national level and capacity gaps. The Forum focused on the need
to broaden the response to these gaps and constraints by finding ways to
build on household initiatives and by opening expanded opportunities for
the local private sector in the provision of water facilities and services.
RWSN will pursue this objective by fostering policies and practices that
give due emphasis to access and sustainability, and encourage
entrepreneurship and engagement of the domestic private sector in rural
water services. For more information and the detail proceedings consult:
http://www.rwsn.ch or contact Erich Baumann (mailto:rwsn@skat.ch)
*** Governance Project in Municipal Water and Environmental Development,
Bosnia and Herzegovina ***
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has designed the
Governance Project in Municipal Water and Environmental Development
(GOV-WADE) in the region of North-western Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming at
the promotion of good governance in water and environmental sanitation. The
total Swiss grant contribution of CHF3.2 million will be complemented by
considerable financial contributions of selected municipalities for joint
infrastructure projects. The 3-years project has started in September 2006.
It will be implemented by the association for protection and improvement of
the environment UNA-SANA from Bihac with an intensive coaching by Skat. The
project will focus on 6 municipalities, selected on the basis of a
comprehensive survey. A total of 11 further municipalities will also
benefit from the project.
The main objective of the project is to increase capacities of local
authorities and civil society in order to improve governance and management
at municipal level, and to advocate for an enabling environment. The
project will also support institutional and organizational development in
selected municipalities, strengthen the capacity of local civil society
actors, and improve inter-municipal cooperation in North-western Bosnia and
Herzegovina, in both entities. For further information please contact Karl
Wehrle (mailto:info@skat.ch)
*** Study on Handwashing Behaviour in Colombia ***
In the framework of the Global Handwashing Initiative, which strives to
promote hand-washing with water and soap as an effective measure to reduce
infant mortality due to diarrhoeic diseases, the Latin America and
Caribbean Regional Office of the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program
mandated Skat to design and coordinate a study to better understand the
beliefs and behaviours relating to hand-washing and hygiene of populations
at risk in Colombia. The study was based on 7-hour structured observations
in 500 poor urban and rural households in 8 localities in different regions
of the country, complemented with observations in schools and day-care
institutions, different types of interviews, and other methods of social
research. Skat's longstanding Colombian partner CINARA, a research
institute attached to the Universidad del Valle in Cali, undertook the main
part of the extensive fieldwork and data processing. The results of the
Study are a valuable basis for the design and targeting of the Colombian
Handwashing Promotion Campaign that is about to be launched under the
leadership of the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Regional Planning.
For more information please contact Jonathan Hecke (mailto:info@skat.ch)
*** Economic Aspects of Informal Sector Activities in Solid Waste
Management ***
In partnership with WASTE Consultants from the Netherlands, Skat has won a
bid to carry out a GTZ-funded study that seeks to establish the economic,
but also environmental and social value produced by the huge number of
informal solid waste workers (waste-pickers, scavengers, etc.) and the
impact their activities have on the overall solid waste management (SWM)
systems in big cities in development and transition countries. The
ambitious research project has received additional support from CWG, the
Collaborative Working Group on Solid Waste Management in Low- and
Middle-Income Countries, which allowed to expand the scope of the study to
6 cities: Cairo (Egypt), Lusaka (Zambia), Pune (India), Lima (Peru), Quezon
City (Philippines) and Cluj-Napoca (Romania). Skat and WASTE partnered with
local organizations in each of these cities to carry out an in-depth
analysis of both the formal and the informal sides of the cities' SWM
systems. These baseline studies form the basis of comprehensive modelling
exercises that allow to determine costs and benefits generated in the SWM
system and to define the impact of increased or diminished involvement of
the informal sector in it. For more information please contact Jonathan
Hecke (mailto:info@skat.ch)
*** Private Sector Development in the Water and Sanitation Sector, Mali ***
National development policies of Mali envisage a gradual de-centralisation
process, where regional and municipal authorities are given responsibility
for tasks hitherto covered by the central government. Private companies are
encouraged to take over the provision of services like water and
sanitation. The Swiss NGO Helvetas contracted Skat's expertise to support
the planning of the second phase of their Programme d'Appui au Secteur
Privé de l'Eau et de l'Assainissement (ASP-Eau). This programme focuses on
the region of Sikasso and Bougouni in southern Mali and includes the set-up
of Business Development Centres, the support to professional associations,
the provision of micro-credit facilities, technical and business training
for SMEs active in the water and sanitation sector, and hygiene promotion
programmes in municipalities, community associations, and schools. For more
information please contact Jonathan Hecke (mailto:info@skat.chh)
*** Assessment of the UNICEF Emergency Water and Sanitation Supply
Assistance after the Tsunami ***
When the Tsunami struck on 26th December 2004, UNICEF made a formidable
effort to provide emergency relief. The magnitude of the disaster
challenged UNICEF's planning, coordination, management and monitoring
systems. In the Water and Sanitation sector the absence of in-country
technical support limited the organisation's capacity to swiftly and
effectively fulfil its leadership and coordination role, as mandated by the
Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the primary mechanism for
inter-agency coordination of humanitarian assistance.
To improve preparedness for future emergencies, UNICEF commissioned a Skat
Team, Rupert Talbot, Jeremy Loveless, and Erich Baumann, to conduct a
'Participatory Technical Assessment of Emergency Water and Sanitation
Supply Assistance' to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, three of the
countries most affected by the Tsunami.
The nature of the assessment was conducted as a participatory learning
exercise that extended beyond supply to issues of disaster preparedness,
process management, and human resources. In dialogue with the concerned
UNICEF sections recommendations were jointly drafted so as to secure
ownership, ensure their practicality and enhance their use, effectiveness,
and efficiency in future emergencies. For more information please contact
Erich Baumann (mailto:info@skat.ch)
*** Emergency water supply and sanitation services in Lebanon ***
From 26th July to 30th September 2006 Jeremy Loveless of Skat was the head
of the water and sanitation cluster in Lebanon. The cluster is the main
coordination body within the UN system. It consists of government water
authorities and national and international organisations involved with
water and sanitation. The purpose is to ensure that efforts are focused as
effectively as possible, that gaps are filled; and that duplication of
services is avoided. During Skat's assignment the cluster was involved with
emergency water supply and sanitation services during the conflict;
establishment of temporary water supply systems immediately after the
ceasefire; and reconstruction of war damaged infrastructure. The cluster
proved to be an effective mechanism, enabling the national water
establishments to operate in conjunction with NGO and UN partners.
*** Guidelines for Sustainable Reconstruction in Tsunami-affected Areas ***
UNEP commissioned Skat to prepare a manual on sustainable reconstruction,
in particular in the context of Tsunami and other natural disasters. As it
is often the case in post-disaster situations like in the Tsunami
aftermath, the urgency and scale of needs for shelter pose a tremendous
challenge. Based on these needs, Skat currently compiles a manual for
sustainable reconstruction with the main objective to encourage project
managers to take into account important issues of sustainability. This
should also help to minimise negative impacts that may arise from poorly
managed reconstruction initiatives. The target group and users of the
manual are international donors, development agencies, NGOs, UN agencies,
and government institutions who are engaged in reconstruction activities.
The manual will serve as a reference book considering selection and
availability of building materials and technologies and their social
acceptance, cost-effectiveness and affordability of housing, and access to
information. For more information please contact Claudia Schneider
(mailto:info@skat.ch)
*** Evaluation of the International Platform on Sport and Development ***
On behalf of the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD) and the Swiss Agency
for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Skat carried out a comprehensive
evaluation of the International Platform on Sport and Development, an
Internet site offering a wide range of information services about sport and
development. The platform is maintained by SAD and funded by SDC and the
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The objectives of the
evaluation were to analyse the services of the Internet platform, to assess
the achieved results, to review the current mode of operation and the
strategic direction, and to provide recommendations. The evaluation
comprised a document analysis, an assessment of the various services of the
Internet platform, an electronic survey among the users of the platform,
and interviews with selected stakeholders. More information about the
evaluation and a short version of the results of the survey are available
on the International Platform on Sport and Development:
http://www.sportanddev.org/en/in-the-spotlight/evaluation-of-the-internatio
nal-platform-on-sport-and-development/index.htm
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Skat Publications
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The Skat Foundation edits various publications in the fields of water
supply and environmental sanitation, waste management, sustainable building
and settlement development, and transport and mobility. Browse through our
list of publications on our website:
http://www.skat-foundation.org/publications. For any enquiries please send
a mail to mailto:publications@skat.ch
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Impressum
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Skat, Vadianstrasse 42, CH-9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Phone +41 71 228 54 54, fax +41 71 228 54 55, mailto:info@skat.ch
Web http://www.skat.ch
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