Janadesh Reporter, Kathmandu.
As the worries of Climate Change impacts are growing in Nepal, country has entered into Global Water Leadership Programme aiming to meet with Climate Challenges. The program has been implemented with the objective of supporting leadership development for improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services along with climate adaptation.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership (GWP), UNICEF, Sanitation for All and Water, Drinking Water, Sanitation, Joint Monitoring Programme for Sanitation and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The programme will run until 2024.
According to Surya Nath Upadhyay, the Secretary General of GWP Nepal and Jalsrot Vikas Sanstha (JVS) the motto of this program is to build resilient society, resilient institutions. “The program has begun and it is expected to help Nepal to build resilient society and resilient institutions”, Mr. Upadhyay said.
While highlighting the importance of the program implementation in Nepal, Regional Coordinator, GWP South Asia Mr. Lal Induruwage praised Nepal for being ahead of three thousand partners around the globe in terms of implementing the climate adaptation program.
Budhi Setiwan, Representative for Nepal, UNICEF believes the program is highly significant to Nepal as one of the most affected countries in the world in terms of climate change impacts.
Er. Tiresh Prasad Khatri, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Water Supply, said, Nepal is severely affected by climate change evidently in terms of natural calamities. He highlighted last year Melamchi flood as latest anecdote. “Not only the state mechanism, the private sector and people in general should be joining hands to address the problem he said while adding, we find the program as must for countries like Nepal”, he said.
Speaking at a workshop organized in Kathmandu to discuss the preparations for the implementation of the program, Er. Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, the Secretary, Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS), defined the program as part of fulfillment of government’s commitment to international community in terms of water management while minimizing the climate change in water management. Ghimire said, “The programme is being implemented to fulfil the international commitment expressed to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs)”.
Mr. Saraju Kumar Baidya, Joint-Secretary, of WECS and and Chief of Water Resources Division of WECS highlighted climate change as major global challenge while expressing worries for Nepal’s already facing the consequences. “This program will be assisting Nepal to avoid climate change impacts while aiding to establish climate resilient communities and institutions”, Mr. Baidya said.
The programme is being implemented in 10 countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, Chad, Central African Republic, Madagascar, State of Palestine, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS) is confident that the programme will help the government to implement effective and inclusive climate resilient water policies and strategies and help maintain climate-resilient communities.
Water resources management (WRM) and drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sectors are involved in the programme. The WECS has stated that the implementation of the programme will provide ample opportunity to identify the impact of climate change on water resources management and WASH services and to identify and support climate finance.
The WECS believes that the collection and analysis of important data related to WRM and WASH services in the country would help in refining the relevant policies and strategies. The programme is expected to help strengthen water governance and promote stakeholder cooperation for uplifting and inclusive water resource management and WASH services, advocating for the importance of sustainable water resources and WASH services for health, livelihood, climate resilience and economic growth.
A 17-member programme coordination committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the secretary of the commission for the effective implementation of the programme.
The purpose of the programme is to address the challenges being faced by developing countries due to the climate crisis.
