IWA is well known for its many events and publications, but generally with an urban utility focus. However, the event below is an unusual opportunity to share experiences between urban, peri-urban, small-town and rural water service provides. Thanks to the initiative of Eleanor Allen, CEO of Water for People, the IWA Water and Development Congress invites submissions on the following topics that are relevant to RWSN member experiences – an in particular those who presented at the RWSN Forum:
- Raising gender profile in urban/rural (basin) interactions.
- Developing leadership – diversity, inclusiveness and vision
- Defining the role of regulation in meeting the SDGs
- Strengthening the capacity of entrepreneurs to offer water and sanitation services in rural and peri-urban areas
- Implementing pro-poor approaches
- Defining tariffs, balancing affordability and cost recovery
- Initiating and maintaining multi-stakeholder collaboration to achieve improved services
- Fostering political & social engagement in water issues
- Ensuring financial sustainability to achieve universal access and service goals.
This is a global event, not just for Latin America, and potentially there is a lot to learn on – and share – on tariff regulation for small rural providers, professionalization of community management, diversity of service delivery models in rural areas, including rural utilities, and asset management for small rural providers.
So please do consider it if you are looking to reach out to a different audience from the normal rural WASH sector – see the message below for more details and links: http://www.waterdevelopmentcongress.org/
All the best
Sean
RWSN Secretariat
Rural Water Supply Network - blog 