UNDP Water Governance Facility at SIWI News
March 2009
GoAL WaSH is an innovative new UNDP program that aims to accelerate achievement of the water and sanitation MDGs through strategically targeted interventions that strengthen governance of the water and sanitation sectors at appropriate levels. Specifically, GoAL WaSH focuses on:

• Countries with low water and sanitation coverage projected not to achieve the water, sanitation or both MDGs;
• Identifying gaps, needs, constraints and opportunities in national water and sanitation plans, strategies and capacities;
• Governance reform, leadership and policy advocacy
• Incorporation of water and sanitation into national MDG and related poverty reduction strategies;
• Close coordination with governments and key development partners active in water and sanitation at country level
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WGF Side Publication on Water and Adaptation for 2009 World Water Development Report
The draft of the UNDP Side Publication to the World Water Development Report 3 "Water Adaptation in NAPAs - Freshwater in Climate Adaptation Planning and Climate Adaptation in Freshwater Planning" in now available. It analyses opportunities for addressing and integrating climate change considerations into water resources management and gives recommendations for how adaptation measures can be better integrated in development planning and policy. The final report will be launched at the
5th World Water Forum as a side publication to the 2009 World Water Development Report.
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Resource Guide to Mainstreaming Gender in Water Resource Management
WGF is supporting Gender and Water Alliance in the translation and adaptation of the GWA Resource Guide on Mainstreaming Gender in Water Resources Management to Bangla, Urdu and Hindi. The Resource Guide in Bangla will be launched at the 5th World Water Forum.

Workshop Trains Trainers in Climate and Water Resources Management
The WaterNet, Cap-Net, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and GWP Southern Africa organised workshop discussed how integrated water resources management can help vulnerable areas deal with extreme climate variation. The training manual used at this course will be made available through WaterNet (www.waternetonline.ihe.nl) and Cap-Net (www.cap-net.org) in late March.

GoAL WASH Country Projects
Madagascar - National co-ordination, planning and capacity-building
Zambia - Voice and governance - consumer representation and more effective information dissemination
Paraguay - National co-ordination and planning, policy and strategies to reach MDGs
Nepal - Supporting government develop a SWAp for WaSH
Sierra Leone - Providing a WaSH co-ordinator, developing sector recovery policies and strategies
Mali - Supporting councils to prepare and implement local WASH projects

WGF at 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, March 16-22
WGF will take part in a number of events at the upcoming World Water Forum 5 in Istanbul: Water: H2O
UNDP Exhibition at the Istanbul Technical University
Beyond Water Bribes - How to build a Corruption-Resistant Water Sector
18 March, 8.30 - 12.00h, Room 1, Sutluce Carpark.
Special Side Event to 2009 World Water Development Report
Report Launch: Updated Resource Guide in Gender in Water Management

A WIN Against Illegal Sand Mining in Sri Lanka!

30% of all rivers in Sri Lanka are damaged by illegal sand mining. Following awareness training for Police from the Water
Integrity Network (WIN) illegal sand-miners have been arrested and new laws in Sri Lanka to punish illegal sand-mining are under discussion.

Water Goverance Programme for Arab Countries Opens in Egypt

The Water Governance Programme for Arab States (WGP-AS), endorsed by seven countries in the region namely Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Djibouti, Jordan, Qatar and the occupied Palestinian territory and coordinated from the UNDP Country Office in Cairo, Egypt; will work to improve the effective use and management of scarce water resources in Arab countries.