SUPPORT TO POLICY SUPPORT UNIT - WATER AND SANITATION

The Danida-assisted Unit for Policy Implementation (UPI) was established in 1999 as a component of the first phase of the WSSPS (1999-2005) to support the Local Government Division (LGD) and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (MLGRD&C) in implementation of the ‘National Policy on Safe Water Supply and Sanitation 1998’.

UPI supported among other things the GoB to prepare the Sector Development Framework (SDF) on the principles of the national policies through sector-wide consultations. All future programmes in water supply and sanitation sector have now been formulated on the basis of this SDF. The unit also supported GoB to complete the institutional review for phase I in which an analysis of the current sector situation was done. It furthermore supported the government in the preparation of the ‘Pro-poor Strategy’ and in finalising the ‘Sanitation Strategy 2010’ for Bangladesh.

Considering, that by the end of the first phase support to UPI and SDP would be finalised and ready for implementation, there was a felt need to establish a PSU to support the GoB in the implementation and monitoring of the SDP and assist in the establishment of a sector wide approach and donor harmonisation.

The purpose of the establishment of the PSU was/is to provide technical assistance to LGD/GoB in realising the following sector goals by developing a programmatic approach and forging partnerships with all donors and development partners for resource mobilisation, and developing systems for good governance:

1. Community-led 100 % improved sanitation achieved for all, especially the hardcore poor, by 2010.
2. Access to sustainable safe drinking water up to the basic needs level is available to all, especially the hardcore poor, by 2010.
3. Access to sustainable arsenic free safe water for drinking and irrigation is available to all, especially the hardcore poor, of all arsenic affected areas by 2010.
4. Institutional development and capacity of LGIs to implement water and sanitation programmes in a sustainable manner improved by 2010.
5. Administrative and financial authority regarding water and sanitation is decentralised to LGIs by 2010.

GoB achieves its national targets of poverty reduction by providing access of safe drinking water supply and improved sanitation and hygiene behaviour, up to the ‘Basic Minimum Needs’ level, to all its citizens, especially the hardcore poor, by 2010, through a decentralised Hygiene, Sanitation and Water (HYSAWA) approach, with LGIs having the major implementation responsibility, under a broad-based SDP and framework, conducive for the government to develop and invite donors to engage in a sector wide approach.

The component is contributing to the achievement of each of the five immediate objectives of the WSSPS II. The immediate objectives of the Sector Policy Support (SPS) component are to:

1. Provide policy and decision support to GoB in developing, implementing and monitoring the SDP with the aim to contribute towards poverty reduction through increased access to safe water supply, improved sanitation and hygiene behaviour based on the national targets, existing policies and the SDF.
2. Provide policy and decision support to the GoB in the development of a decentralised HYSAWA mechanism for the delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene services through LGIs, including capacity building and complete devolution of administrative and financial authority to the LGIs as per the emerging SDP.
3. Establishment and functioning of the PSU.

The PSU is designed to deliver a Sector Programmatic Approach (SPAp) and a sector wide approach to water and sanitation delivery in support of the SDP and Sector Investment Plan (SIP). Such a programmatic and sector wide approach ensures full GoB ownership and accountability for service delivery in partnership with NGOs and the private sector. The development of this approach is consistent with the moves in the sector towards decentralisation of responsibility for service delivery to LGIs and the recognition of the importance of civil society and the private sector in delivery of services in the ‘Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper’ (PRSP). A programmatic approach requires sector reform which the PSU supports GoB with.
The role of the PSU is therefore to provide the GoB with technical assistance in relation to the development, review, implementation and monitoring of sector policies and facilitate implementation of the SDP. In particular, the PSU is expected to provide the evidence base for policy development and revision. It is furthermore expected that the PSU develops and maintain links with all agencies under LGD and other ministries including Health and Family Welfare, Environment and Forests, Water Resources, Science and Technology, Agriculture, and Minerals and Energy.

The financial support to the PSU is DKK 24.8 million over a five year period – January 2005 to December 2010. Danida’s contribution is approximately DKK 22.4 million while the contribution of the GoB accounts for DKK 2.3 million.