UGANDA – Protecting water resources and improving access to water. That is Join For Water’s mission in a nutshell. That mission means that we work intensively with partners and communities to restore nature and build the necessary infrastructure. But did you know that advocacy also plays an important role in this?
Advocacy helps us increase the impact of our actions. We use our experiences and knowledge to enter into discussions with policymakers about structural policy needs that can further support and broaden our mission.
In Uganda, for example, we are a member of UWASNET, a network of civil society organizations on water and sanitation. The aim of this network is to share experiences and insights within the water sector, and to formulate joint recommendations for policymakers. Within this network, Join For Water leads a working group on integrated water policy, the environment and climate change.
In September 2022, Join For Water participated in the annual UWASNET Forum, which this year focused on the relationship between water supply, sanitation and climate change. Not only civil society organizations were present, but also the Ministry of Water and Environment and other water-related government agencies.
Active participation
Our Ugandan employees actively participated in the event in various ways. We were part of an expert panel discussion, where we highlighted the links between access to water and the protection and conservation of water resources, as a foundation for resilient communities. At the end of this session, a commitment was expressed by various attendees from government agencies and parliament to pay more attention to protecting water resources and services.
We contributed to a presentation with example interventions for integrated water management and climate-resilient water systems, together with other organizations active in the Rwenzori region in western Uganda (such as Water For People).
We also organized a session to advocate for a more sustainable policy for the protection of buffer zones around swamps and rivers. We will be working a lot within these zones in the coming years. Thanks to this session, the challenges of sustainable protection of buffer zones were brought to the attention at national level, and will be further taken up by the various organizations present through the UWASNET working group.
In short, a successful day! Policy is never changed in one day, but by exchanging and sharing experiences and knowledge, we are helping to build a sustainable water and nature policy for the future. To be continued.
With the support of the province of Flemish Brabant.
