Welcome to the December 2022 edition of the Global WASH Cluster newsletter! We are pleased to share in this issue the latest updates from GWC members, national coordination platforms (NCPs) and partners such as UNICEF, UN-Water, USAID - PRO WASH, IFRC and OCHA.
First, we would like to draw your attention to updates from NCPs, such as the Afghanistan WASH Cluster Achievements for November 2022 and the Central African Republic WASH Cluster: Mapping des nombres de bénéficiaires atteints par partenaires par préfecture - novembre 2022. We also welcome our new Field Support Team (FST) Manager Mariangela D'Adamo to the team - this is followed by recent FST support mission updates in the field.
We would also like to showcase the UNICEF report on the Horn of Africa "Regional Call to Action on WASH in Emergencies”, the UNICEF Water / WHO's "Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2022" report, which provides an in-depth analysis of the global progress on sanitation and drinking water and identifies key challenges and opportunities for improvement, and also the Extreme Heat report on the increasing intensity of heatwaves.
As we enter the new year, we would like to take a moment to thank all our Members, the Strategic Advisory Group, the Field Support Team, and national coordination platforms and partners working tirelessly to achieve high-quality WASH outcomes that are inclusive and equitable, for the people most affected by and vulnerable to crises. We are deeply grateful for your efforts.
We remind all that we value showcasing the incredible work NCPs and partners are doing around the world, so please send us your photos, stories, and other content to highlight the work of your team or draw attention to issues that matter to you. Read our submission guidelines here. All items can be sent directly for inclusion in the next newsletter by Wednesday, 25 January 2023 to globalwashcluster@unicef.org.
Happy New Year!
Best regards,
CAST (The Cluster Advocacy and Support Team)
Photo credits: © UNICEF/UN0749102/Zehbrauskas
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GWC Collaborations and News
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New Global WASH Cluster Agora Learning Channel is here!
The GWC just launched its new Agora Learning Channel! Whether you are looking to improve your skills in a particular subject or just want to stay up-to-date with the latest educational trends, the GWC Agora Learning Channel is a great resource. The platform includes different training categories, including training on humanitarian WASH coordination for partners, coordination, information management, assessment for NCPs as well as technical training resources.,
Click here to access the GWC Agora Learning Channel. |
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Update: Global WASH Cluster Dashboard 2022
The Global WASH Cluster Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) dashboard outlines the current needs, targets and responses in 2022, and provides links to the National Coordination Platforms (NCPs) website via Humanitarian Response for further information. Simply choose a country/region at the top left of the dashboard and display the country data. For questions or queries, please contact the GWC at: globalwashcluster@unicef.org.
To learn more about the operational support provided by the GWC to the National Coordination Platforms (NCPs), please visit the Operational Support section.
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The Global WASH Cluster provides Operational Support for national coordination platforms in humanitarian emergencies through deployments and remote support. The support is provided by the Field Support Team (FST), a consortium of WASH agencies providing 6 staff (3 x coordinators, 2 x information managers, and 1 x assessment specialist) with the support and oversight of the GWC-Cluster Advocacy and Support Team (CAST). To access these services national coordinators or information managers can send an email or inquiry to gwchelp@unicef.org (GWC Help Desk). |
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New FST Manager on board!
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 Mariangela D'Adamo joined the FST as a Project Manager at the beginning of November, seconded to UNICEF by Action contre la Faim France. Mariangela is an architect and holds a Postgraduate Degree in Urban Planning in Developing Countries. She has been working in different humanitarian emergencies over the last 12 years, in the management of humanitarian WASH programs or in coordination roles within the WASH Cluster. Welcome to the team! Read more here! |
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Field Support Team (FST) Deployments - Remote Support to Haiti
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 Haiti remains a highly complex country, facing multiple crises concurrently and at high risk/vulnerability to natural hazards. The country is in a political deadlock, with indefinitely postponed elections following the assassination of President Moise on 7 July 2021. After more than three years with no reported cholera cases, on the 2nd of October 2022, the Haitian Ministry of Health (MSPP) confirmed two positive cases in Port-au-Prince, prompting the Haitian health authorities to declare an outbreak of cholera. As of the 1st of December 2022, the MSPP reported 12,826 suspected cases, 1,135 confirmed cases and 272 deaths in various communes across ten departments. Among the confirmed cases, 33% are reported to be children under 10.
Amadou Ba, WASH Cluster Coordinator seconded from Action Contre la Faim, has been deployed to UNICEF Haiti for a 2-month mission supporting DINEPA/DRU offices or UNICEF Haiti. DINEPA, through its Departement de Response aux Urgences (DRU), which remains the coordination lead. However, further support was needed to absorb the increase in complexity of the coordination due to the aforementioned nationwide cholera crisis, which is adding to the recent earthquake response.
Abdoul Karim Sow, WASH Information Manager seconded from iMMAP, has been supporting the WASH National Coordination since October 2022, by mapping out the localization of cholera cases, analyzing partners’ information about the capacity to respond to epidemics and the systematization of information about localization of the ongoing emergency activities, among others.
Read more about the Haiti WASH Cluster here.
Further FST Support
Mark Buttle, WASH Cluster Coordinator with UNICEF, is supporting the cholera response at the global level and has been deployed to Gaziantep and Beirut to hold cholera response training. Moreover, Mark has been as well remotely supporting the Ukraine response with a presentation on the winterization of the WASH response at the national WASH Cluster meeting and at the WASH Cluster District Heating Working Group led by UNOPs.
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Cluster/Sector Websites Migration to ReliefWeb Update
 Over 60% of HumanitarianResponse.info operations have successfully migrated to the new ReliefWeb Response platform. You can see all of the migrated sites here: https://response.reliefweb.int/locations
Do not wait! Now is the time to set up your operation on RW Response and ensure all relevant content has been migrated. Please reach out to info@humanitarianresponse.info to schedule your migration. Migration of all operations should be completed by April 2023. Once all operations have been migrated, HumanitarianResponse.info will be archived.
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Resources and Tools from National Coordination Platforms - December 2022:
We encourage all National Coordination Platforms to send their examples, guidance, tools on coordination, information management, assessment and technical guidelines/documents directly to: globalwashcluster@unicef.org.
The below is the result of a collection of resources that you can find on ReliefWeb.int
South Asia
West and Central Africa
Latin America and the Caribbean
Eastern and Southern Africa
Middle East and North Africa
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UNICEF WASH - Key Updates and New Resources
Regional Call to Action - Horn of Africa Drought Crisis: Climate change is here now!
 The Horn of Africa is facing its fifth consecutive season of below-average rainfall, with a sixth expected. The region’s drought and water crisis has affected up to 36.3 million people — including 20.2 million children — in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, many of whom will need water and food assistance in 2023. While droughts have occurred in this region in the past, the magnitude of the current crisis and its underlying drivers have created catastrophic conditions for children and their families. As the lead or co-lead of 3 clusters and one area of responsibility - WASH, Nutrition, Education, and Child Protection - UNICEF is committed to bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent, principled, transparent, and accountable response to emergencies and preparedness essentials in the Horn of Africa. Read the CALL TO ACTION here.
NEW: UNICEF Game Plan to Reach Safely Managed Sanitation 2022-2030
 Progress towards universal sanitation is alarmingly off track, unevenly distributed between countries, and inadequate to eliminate the inequalities to ensure that the most vulnerable are reached. In 2020, the JMP estimated that 3.6 billion people globally lacked safely managed services, and that the rate at which sanitation coverage was increasing would need to quadruple to achieve universal access to safely managed services by 2030. UN-Water has developed an SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework - a unifying initiative designed to deliver fast results. UNICEF’s Sanitation Game Plan is aligned with this framework; the vision is to work alongside UNICEF’s partners to achieve the shared ambition of safely managed sanitation for all. The Game Plan to Reach Safely Managed Sanitation will cover the eight years between 2022 and 2030.
The Game Plan aims to help governments achieve safely managed sanitation for their populations and meet the sanitation target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the Game Plan, UNICEF will support 1 billion people gain access to safely managed sanitation, through direct and indirect support, in collaboration with partners. Read the report here.
NEW: UNICEF AAP Strategy 2022-2025
 The new UNICEF AAP Strategy builds upon the initial AAP roadmap for 2018-2021, and was developed through a broad consultation with over 200 colleagues from country offices, regional offices and HQ. It lays the foundations for ensuring that AAP becomes systematically included in all UNICEF programmes. It also includes a monitoring framework based on the Core Standard Indicators and a roadmap with specific targets for the next four years, in addition to the roadmap and related resources needed for ensuring we meet our targets will be discussed by Regional and HQ Directors in the first quarter of 2023.
Have a read of the new strategy here!
UNICEF launches Humanitarian Action for Children 2023 Overview
 UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal helps support our work as it provides conflict- and disaster - affected children with access to water, sanitation, nutrition, education, health and protection services. In 2023, UNICEF's HAC appeal total requirement is US$10.3 billion to assist more than one hundred and seventy three million vulnerable children and their families and caregivers around the world. UNICEF remains committed to establishing effective linkages between its humanitarian action and development programming, contributing to peacebuilding and supporting countries to strengthen capacities and systems.
This edition of UNICEF’s annual Humanitarian Action for Children highlights UNICEF’s funding appeal, which sets out an ambitious agenda to address the major challenges facing children and young people living through conflict and crisis. It presents the investments needed in 2023 to save their lives and protect their futures.
Read the HAC 2023 Overview.
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NEW: UN-WATER Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2022 Report
 The UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2022 report compiles new data on drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) from 121 countries and territories and 23 external support agencies (ESAs). It serves as a global reference to inform commitments, priority-setting and actions during the second half of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and for the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the United Nations Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018–2028). The report also highlights opportunities to accelerate progress in key WASH areas that positively affect the quality and sustainability of WASH services and delivery, pandemic preparedness and resilience to climate change.
Read the report here.
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Humanitarian WASH Master of Science Program
Applications are now open until 26 January 2023 for the 2023 Humanitarian WASH Master of Science Program offered by the German Jordanian University. The program is open to both Jordanian and international students with a limited number of scholarships available for selected applicants.
The Humanitarian WaSH Master’s program was launched in 2021, and developed in collaboration with Action Against Hunger, Bioforce, UNICEF and USAID. This is a first of its kind program launched in the Middle East and aims to develop the next generation of humanitarian WASH leaders in the region. Taught by both academics and field practitioners, the program aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to successfully manage and implement humanitarian WASH programming. This degree is hands-on in nature with 60% of the course focused on practical applications, including a five-day simulation exercise. A minimum of 25% of the courses are delivered as intensive courses by humanitarian experts who have extensive field experience.
For further information, please contact Majd Briezat, GJU Humanitarian WASH Master Assistant Coordinator (majd.briezat@gju.edu.jo) or apply through the link shared here.
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Extreme Heat: Preparing for the heatwaves of the future
 Record high temperatures this year – which are fueling catastrophes in Somalia, Pakistan and around the world – foreshadow a future with deadlier, more frequent, and more intense heat-related humanitarian emergencies, a new report warns.
During a heatwave, the demand for water for drinking and personal hygiene can increase, and the availability of water may decrease due to drought or reduced supply from treatment plants. This can lead to shortages of clean water and challenges in maintaining proper hygiene, which can increase the risk of waterborne illnesses.
This report, the first we have released jointly in the history of our organizations, provides a sobering review of how just one of those challenges – the increase in deadly heatwaves – threatens to drive new emergency needs in the not-so-distant future.
Access the report through this webpage.
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EHS Institute for Environment and Human Security: New Article!
Water Supply Emergency Preparedness and Response in Healthcare Facilities: A systemic review on international evidence
This newly published article in the Frontiers in Public Health Journal provides an overview of the recommendations and practical measures implemented by healthcare facilities worldwide to prepare and respond to water supply and wastewater management failures.
This state of play shows that there are concrete examples of preparedness (e.g. water tanks, additional piping, underground wells) and response (e.g. water bottles, use of water tanks, water trucks) and shows the need for exchange between countries on their possible adaptability to other contexts. In addition, some topics are under-documented and need to be further explored: studies in low-resource settings; social and organisational aspects such as the role of citizens and patients during the different phases of risk management; and recovery planning.
Read the article | NOWATER Project
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Recordings now available from the three-part series on understanding the Links between WASH & Child Nutrition
This three-part webinar series shared findings from two recently completed pathogen pathways studies to identify and prioritize environmental risks for children associated with acute and chronic undernutrition. With funding through PRO-WASH, Aquaya conducted the research with the Fiovana RFSA in Madagascar, and IPA carried out the research with the Nawiri RFSA in Kenya. The series concluded with a panel discussion featuring researchers and program staff on the broader implications of the recent studies and how USAID IPs are applying the results to improve programming. View: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Further materials:
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Women in WASH Mentorship Program
 Agenda for Change is launching the Women in WASH Mentorship Program! The program will connect junior and senior women working in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector, with a focus on helping junior women professionals to develop their skills and support their personal and professional growth with guidance from a female mentor. Mentees will include junior professionals or students (with 0-4 years of professional experience) under the age of 35 who identify as women. Applications are now open until January 13, 2023!
More Information here | Apply here!
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IASC New Resources
Note on IASC Coordination Structures at the Country Level 2021
This report is the outcome of the annual humanitarian coordination mapping exercise. It is the only standardized process to capture data on humanitarian coordination structures, capacities, and alignment with IASC coordination requirements. The mapping exercise, overseen by OCHA (Coordination Division) and supported the Global Cluster Coordination Group, took place in 2022 and collected data on coordination structures in place during the year 2021 in 29 operations (31 locations taking into account the three segments of the Syria response).
Read here.
Further resources:
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| Webinar/Event |
Date & time |
Organisation |
Launch of the Nordic Report: Addressing Microplastics
in a Global Agreement on Plastic Pollution |
10 January |
Nordic Council of Ministers, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, IKHAPP |
| 8th IWA Water Resource Recovery Modelling Conference |
15 - 18 January |
IWA, UCT, Water Institute in Southern Africa |
13th IWA International Conference On Water Reclamation
and Reuse |
15 - 19 January |
IWA |
Emerging Pollutants - Protecting Water Quality for the
Health of People and the Environment |
17 - 19 January |
UNESCO, IWRA |
| Stronger Together! Informal Mentoring for Women in Water |
19 January |
CWiW, WWSN, SuSanA, African Water Sanitation, SIWI, African Women Sanitation Professionals Network |
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Students wash their hands in their Qansaxleey Primary and Secondary school playground in Dolow, Somalia, on 5 February 2022.
© UNICEF/UN0591232/Taxta
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