Hotel Himalaya, Kupondole Height, Lalitpur – August 30, 2023
The two-day Annual Meet and Learning Sharing Event of FANSA Nepal Chapter concluded on 28th and 29th August 2023, at Hotel Himalaya in Kupondole Height, Lalitpur. The event chaired by Mrs. Bhawana Sharma, National Convener of FANSA Nepal Chapter, saw the active participation of 23 organizations spreading across the country, with 8 female and 15 male representatives collectively representing FANSA’s extensive network in Nepal.
The prime objectives of the event were to foster collaborative learning, share best practices, and fortify joint advocacy efforts to effectively address Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) issues in Nepal. Under the facilitation of Ms. Srijana Karki, the National Coordinator of FANSA Nepal Chapter and Senior WASH and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Officer from ENPHO, the event proved to be a resounding success. The attendees engaged in productive discussions and knowledge exchange, with member organizations presenting impactful project insights, successful advocacy efforts, and updates from the FANSA Regional Secretariat. The discussions centered around charting a path forward for advocating WASH initiatives for marginalized communities. In a bid to implement practical measures, the FANSA Nepal Chapter’s member organizations also visited to the AEROSAN public toilet in Patan, Lalitpur on 29th August 2023.
Mr. Rajendra Aryal, Co-convener of FANSA Nepal Chapter and President of FEDWASUN, highlighted the significance of recent WASH Acts and other national policy documents within the WASH sector. These documents were emphasized as key reference points for advocating at provincial and municipal government levels.
The event has drawn actionable commitments from FANSA Nepal Chapter’s member organizations and unanimously agreed to advocate for WASH policies and laws within their respective municipalities and provinces, with a focus on establishing dedicated WASH units or personnel. This is in line with accelerating the national water, sanitation, and hygiene campaign, aligning with the objectives of SDG 6.2.
Additionally, a commitment was made to collaborate with stakeholders to establish user-friendly and environmental-friendly toilets, inspired by the AEROSAN model. The event attendees also pledged to lobby for campaigns targeted at sanitation workers, prioritizing their occupational health, safety, and overall well-being. With a strong impetus on community engagement, FANSA member organizations expressed their intent to organize programs on waste management and initiate CWIS (Community-Wide Inclusive Sanitation) training within their working municipalities.
The event’s closing was graced by Mrs. Bhawana Sharma, National Convener of FANSA Nepal Chapter and Executive Director of ENPHO, who expressed gratitude to all member organizations for their unwavering advocacy efforts in the realm of WASH. The call for continued collaborative endeavors in the future to cultivate a conducive policy environment within the WASH sector echoed through the gathering.
