SOUTH SUDAN WASH CLUSTER

STRATEGIC OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK 2018

Background - The Cluster Approach

In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 60/124 Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations. Member states called upon humanitarian actors to improve the humanitarian response to natural and human-made disasters and complex emergencies by strengthening the humanitarian response capacities at all levels, by strengthening the coordination of humanitarian assistance at the field level, including with national authorities of the affected State, as appropriate, and by enhancing transparency, performance and accountability.

The cluster approach ensures predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies, by clarifying the division of labour among organizations, and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different sectors of the response. It is about making the international humanitarian community more structured, accountable and professional, so that it can be an effective partner for host governments, local authorities and local civil society.

In line with the above, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), comprising of the primary UN humanitarian agencies and key partners, agreed that the cluster approach should be the framework for response in all major new emergencies. Global cluster lead agencies were identified for key areas of response. Global leads have agreed to be accountable to the Emergency Relief Coordinator for ensuring system-wide preparedness and technical capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies, and for ensuring greater predictability and more effective inter-agency responses in their particular sectors or areas of activity.

SOUTH SUDAN CONTEXT:

The WASH cluster approach has been active in the Republic of South Sudan since April 2010(at the time of activation the country was still semi-autonomous, known as Southern Sudan). The WASH cluster is led by UNICEF, and co-led by NRC (since October 2015) before that it was led by Medair. Whenever possible, the WASH Cluster operates in support of and in coordination with governmental authorities at national and Sub-National levels, especially the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission and relevant line ministries. This document seeks to provide a strategic operational framework for the WASH sector response to the South Sudan in order to guide the collective interventions of the various WASH actors. By adhering to the cluster approach, the partners agree to:

  • Assist the authorities in responding to the WASH needs of the population affected;
  • Promote among the WASH partners a common understanding of the WASH sector needs and interventions in the context of the response;
  • Ensure a well-coordinated response and consequently increase the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of individual agency responses; and
  • Align more towards common humanitarian principles and operational objectives.

Over 5.3 million most vulnerable including conflict affected people in South Sudan are in urgent need of WASH services. Malnutrition and food insecurity make communities more prone to water-related diseases, especially children under 5. In 2017, a cholera epidemic which started since June 2016 spread to new areas that were previously not affected by outbreaks, placing even more pressure on already vulnerable communities. In the conflict-affected areas, most of the water infrastructure is destroyed, making the situation dire. Additionally, the situation in urban areas has been impacted by increasing fuel prices and unavailability of fuel at times putting more strain on existing water systems and substantial increase in cost of water forcing people to resort to unsafe drinking water. The WASH Cluster will target 3.2 million people in 2018 based on this Strategic Operational Framework.

INTRODUCTION TO SOF:

This Strategic Operating Framework (SOF) has been developed to provide guidance to WASH Cluster partners responding to humanitarian needs in South Sudan. It is intended to support the implementation of the South Sudan WASH response Plan for 2018. As such, this SOF should be used in conjunction with the HRP.

This SOF replaces the previous SOF of 2014-2017. This SOF might be reviewed from mid-February 2018 by the Strategic Advisory Group of the national WASH Cluster following the recommendations of the global WASH consultation/workshop and will be revised as the humanitarian situation evolves, and in line with changes made to the WASH Cluster Response plan.

This SOF, and in particular the response plan within it, is primarily intended to steer the emergency response work of WASH partners in line with the humanitarian priorities and timeline for response laid out in the HRP. However, it is also intended to provide continual guidance for the entire WASH sector. Therefore, while meeting humanitarian needs will remain a top priority for the WASH Cluster this SOF may be revised in line evolving WASH sector priorities and increasingly endeavor to complement the South Sudan WASH Sector Strategic Framework.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES: ADHERENCE TO HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES:

The partners ascribe to the Humanitarian Charter including: “The right to receive humanitarian assistance is a necessary element of the right to life with dignity. This encompasses the right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, water, clothing, shelter and the requirements for good health, which are expressly guaranteed in international law. The Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response reflect these rights and give practical expression to them, specifically in relation to the provision of assistance to those affected by disaster or conflict… Any assistance must be provided according to the principle of impartiality, which requires that it be provided solely on the basis of need and in proportion to need. This reflects the wider principle of non-discrimination: that no one should be discriminated against on any grounds of status, including age, gender, race, colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language, religion, disability, health status, political or other opinion, national or social origin” (Sphere Standard[1]).

  • WASH Cluster partners are expected to conform to the broad operational framework outlined in this document, and should be prepared to engage in open cluster discussions to update this document prior to commencing any action in breach of these guidelines. Agencies that do breach these guidelines will be expected to provide clear justification to WASH Cluster and other WASH Cluster partners through the SAG[2] where this has not proved possible.
  • Adhere to SPHERE standards, where adaptation to local realities is required, as decided by the SAG.
  • Involve emergency affected communities in assessing and prioritizing their own needs, as well as program design.
  • Integrate with the strategic and operational approaches of other Clusters, particularly Health, Shelter, and Education.
  • Cluster partners programs will address the ‘three prongs’ of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), either as an integrated program, or in collaboration with other partners.
  • Include good governance, human rights, gender equality, age, psycho-social and environmental aspects in program planning.

NATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR WASH:

  • South Sudan Water Policy - Nov 2007
  • MWRI WASH Sector Strategic Framework 2011 ( draft)
  • Sphere standard ( this will be referred as humanitarian standard for WASH Cluster Partners response)

GOAL:

By providing access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene promotion interventions, the WASH cluster partners aim to minimize risks to the health of the most vulnerable affected conflict populations and to reduce mortality and morbidity by contributing to the relevant objectives of the Response Plan in a way that maximizes the impact of resources and avoids duplication. In order to reach the most vulnerable and make public health a first priority, in line with a needs based response, WASH cluster partners will prioritize affected populations according categories, as explained in below in the Caseloads section.

OVERALL HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE OBJECTIVES FOR 2018

SO 1: Saving Lives: Save lives by providing timely and integrated multi assistance to reduce acute humanitarian needs among the most vulnerable people.

SO 2: Centrality of Protection: Reinforce protection and promote access to basic services for the displaced and other vulnerable people.

SO 3: Resilience: Support at risk communities to sustain their capacity to cope with significant threats.

WASH HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OVERVIEW:

More than 5.3 million people urgently need water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) support, an increase from 2017. The needs are closely related to the conflict, internal displacement and the economic downturn, which have all put a further strain on already limited WASH services. Some 90 per cent of the population do not have access to improved sanitation. Half of the population does not have access to improved water sources, with 35 per cent of the existing boreholes estimated to be non-functional. Open defecation is persistent in 61 per cent of settlements the country. Only 28 per cent of the population can access to a borehole in less than 30 minutes. Some 304,560 refugees will also need WASH services in 2018.

AFFECTED PEOPLE:

The most vulnerable members of the population are in the greatest need of WASH support, particularly the internally displaced. This includes the severely malnourished and food insecure, who are prone to water-borne and water-related diseases. Children under age 5 are especially at risk. People living in PoC sites and collective centres depend on a consistent supply of safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, and the displaced communities living outside of PoCs are frequently deprived of WASH support due to access contains and insecurity. Lack of water compounds risks for women and girls, who are often exposed to violence when reaching remote water sources. In urban areas, people struggle to access safe water due to ever-rising prices. People in conflict-affected counties have lower access to safe water than the country average of 50 per cent. In 2017, for example, only 9 per cent of the population in Magwi, 13 per cent in Fashoda and 17 per cent in Panyikang could reach boreholes.

HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AND DRIVERS:

WASH infrastructure has been deliberately targeted by armed actors during the conflict, leaving most of the water infrastructure in conflict-affected areas destroyed. Internal displacement triggered by the conflict puts a strain on existing water sources and drives up WASH needs. The deteriorating economic situation has made it difficult for the population to afford safe water as in most locations the price per gallon has doubled while outside Juba the price has tripled compared to one year ago. With congested populations, both in crowded PoC sites and urban areas, water-borne diseases spread rapidly. The ongoing cholera outbreak, which has spread to new areas, is both a consequence and a cause WASH needs. High malnutrition rates are also linked to poor WASH conditions, as exemplified in the diarrhoea-malnutrition cycle prevalent in vulnerable populations.

METHODOLOGY OF CALCULATING THE WASH PIN:

The key drivers for Emergency WASH response in the current context are the IDP population, Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates and cholera outbreaks. The WASH people in need was calculated as described in the following steps:

  • The affected population was divided into 5 severity intervals for each of the following parameters: a) IDP population numbers, b) GAM rates, c) number of cholera cases (2014-17), d) percentage of assessed settlements with access to a borehole under 30 minutes, and *e) % of assessed settlements with 50% or more using latrines[[][i]].
  • An average was taken of the rank scored within each parameter, to determine people in need for geographic locations with highest WASH needs applying a logic formula. While calculating the average, more weightage was given to IDP population data, GAM rates, and number of cholera cases, as the data reliability is higher as compared to data under (d & *e); although this data was referred but only 1/3 weightage was given to it during the calculations.
  • Finally, in counties where the IDP population was higher than the weighted PIN, the IDP population size was considered as a people in need.

TARGET

The WASH response will target primarily IDPs, population affected by crisis, food insecurity (high GAM rates) and disease outbreaks, with a strong focus on the most vulnerable members of the community.

The needs of the population in terms of WASH is directly related to the number of IDPs in the community, which always puts a strain on existing services and water sources. The cluster has taken into account high GAM rates that make populations more prone to diseases, and areas with a history of cholera outbreaks. Overall, this relates to poor WASH infrastructure and bad hygiene practices.

Click here for the Calculation Page

WASH RESPONSE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES, INDICATORS AND TARGETS:

SECTOR OBJECTIVE / PRIMARY HRP STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE CONTRIBUTED TO / INDICATORS / PEOPLE IN NEED / PEOPLE TARGETED ( sex disaggregated)
Vulnerable and affected populations have timely, equitable access to safe and sufficient water (based on Sphere), provided with the active involvement of local communities. / SO1, SO2 and SO3 / Number of women, men, girls and boys reached with access to safe water supply / 5.3 million / 2.3 million
Number of women, men, girls and boys within community trained on maintenance of water points / 4600 (1 amongst 500 people targeted with water))
Number of community consultation meeting held (disaggregated by sex/age) before designing a program/project / 500 (at least 1 per site)
Vulnerable and affected populations have knowledge of appropriate hygiene practices to prevent and mitigate WASH-related diseases. / SO1, SO2 and SO3 / Number of women, men, girls and boys reached by hygiene promotion messages / 5.3 million / 3.2 million
Number of women, men, girls and boys reached by hygiene and WASH NFIs / 50% of the people reached by hygiene messages
Number of women, men, girls and boys within the community trained on hygiene promotion / 3200 ( 1% @ 1 per 1000 people )
Vulnerable and affected populations enabled to access adequate, safe, secure, and dignified and gender appropriate. sanitation services (based on Sphere) / SO1, SO2 and SO3 / Number of women, men, girls and boys enabled access to improved, secured and gender appropriate sanitation facilities. / 5.3 million / 1.1 million
Number of community consultation meeting held (disaggregated by sex/age) before designing a program/project / 100 (at least 1 meeting per site as there can be overlap with water)
Number of staff trained on Protection and GBV guidelines / Minimum - same as number of HRP partners. At least one person per organization

RESPONSE STRATGEY PRIORITISATION

  • Arising needs plus existing ones: With the fluctuating, dynamic security situation and fast changing conditions in the country, the WASH cluster will prioritize the response according to arising needs.
  • Integration: Apart from geographical prioritisation (by counties) based on the existing population movement, disease outbreaks, food insecurity and other factor impacting the existing coping mechanisms of the communities response will be linked and coordinated with Health, Nutrition and FSL cluster to ensure a comprehensive service package to the most vulnerable population.
  • Additionally, WASH partners will continue to ensure provision of essential services in POCs and other IDP settlements.
  • Coordinated needs assessment/ baseline surveys to gather better evidences (added)
  • Static and Emergency Preparedness and Response (mobile response) continues
  • Common Core Pipeline to run by IOM and UNICEF
  • Capacity building
  • Activities recommended will depend on the needs of the community with a strong message to partners that construction of new water sources in multiple locations across the country is considered a lifesaving activity.
  • Cash programming will focus on the hardware component of WASH response, while hygiene promotion will continue to encourage more voluntary work from the beneficiaries to promote community ownership. Introducing new cash programmes in the country such as cash vouchers/ cash for work for latrine construction.

PROGRAM QUALITY/ADDRESSING CROSS CUTTING ISSUES

In 2018 WASH cluster will put additional effort to ensure centrality of protection, accountability to affected people and putting communities at the center. This will be monitored by new indicators introduced by WASH cluster, which will track the cooperation with community, ensure the services delivered are gender sensitive and that partners providing WASH services undergo the GBV trainings led by GBV qualified staff. The cluster will also work on the protection mainstreaming action plan, inclusion of the elderly and people with disabilities by increasing partner awareness on existing protection tools and response modalities.

KEY ELEMENTS OF RESPONSE STRATEGY

Protection / Gender mainstreaming action plan will be prepared to Prioritize safety &dignity, and avoid causing harm, Meaningful Access, Accountability, Participation and empowerment
Prioritisation / WASH cluster prioritized targeting as per the counties but will continue to work with ICWG to seek support for the priority locations and club with other clusters to response
Access / Partners will be requested to explore possibilities of linking hard to reach communities through distance community partnership, a strategy will be drafted/ or contributed to
Coping capacities / linkages with development / Community trainings and capacity building activities, new water sources and repair also link to developent. Same actors
Cash based programming / Set aside 2 mill$ to pilot cash programming in WASH for hardware (latrine/ dug well construction) as well software components ( Hygiene promotion)
AAP / putting communities at the centre / Increased community involvement in Planning, decision making and community feedback and indicators to capture this.
Gender / Partners encouraged to follow Gender responsive WASH guidelines; (ex: secure dignified and gender appropriate sanitation services is part of the sanitation objective)

QUARTILE PRIORITISATION OF ACTIVITIES

Overview of prioritized activities: WASH cluster has the list of prioritised counties in reference to the WASH needs overview. WASH cluster plans to prioritise based on the following assumptions: