By Richard Onapatum
The Government of Uganda in conjunction with development partners have unveiled a campaign to boost water access, sanitation and hygiene in the country.
The ‘WASH is Everyone’s Business Campaign’ has been launched by the Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo with a guiding theme, “WASH Away Inequality: Access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Every Woman and Girl.”
While launching the campaign at Sheraton hotel today, the vice president said access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene plays a key role in our national development agenda and addressing inequalities.
“I am glad this campaign aims to advocate and amplify voices for scaling up access and provision of gender-responsive WASH services for women and girls in Uganda,” she said.
The campaign to improve water access, sanitation and hygiene, is being spearheaded by WaterAid Uganda together with other development partners including; Uganda Water and Sanitation Network, Water for People, IRC-WASH, Oxfam in Uganda, USAID, and UNICEF.
The vice president noted that the National Resistance Movement under the leadership of H. E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has prioritised social transformation and wealth creation and that this is evident in the huge investment by the NRM government in the people of Uganda through prioritisation of healthcare, education, water access, sanitation and hygiene.
She told participants that in the budget Financial Year 2024/25, UGX 10.216 trillion was allocated for these priorities adding, “ I’m aware that inadequate access to gender responsive WASH services negatively impacts on women and girls,” she said.
Alupo explained that this has partly contributed to the learners dropping out of school and also exposed women at risk of gender-based violence due to the time spent to collect water which could have been spent on other productive economic activity.
She further said addressing these barriers to water access, sanitation and hygiene would therefore call for our collective action from both the government and development partners to tackle issues of infrastructure deficits, cultural norms in our communities and institutions.
The vice president assured the country that the NRM government is committed to ensure that we achieve universal access to WASH as stipulated in the Sustainable Development Goals 6.
To date the water coverage in rural areas is now estimated at 67 percent, and 73 percent in urban areas. Out of 71,225 villages, 56,617 villages have been served with at least one safe water source by the government.
Alupo emphasized that the Government is committed to addressing the inequalities in investing in WASH infrastructure particularly in the underserved communities, schools, and Health care facilities.
On the policy front, the vice president said the government through the Ministry of Water and Environment revised the Water Policy which prioritises the need for women and the other marginalised groups to be fully involved in the water resources management.
She urged development partners, Civil Society Organizations, and the private sector to join hands with the Government in ensuring that Uganda achieves agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind especially women and girls who, according to her, are most affected by lack of WASH services.
The vice president pledged the government commitment to provide gender responsive WASH services through increased budget allocations so that no one is left behind as envisaged in the Sustainable Development Goals and the NRM Manifesto.
She also committed her office to working with all development partners and the civil society to amplify voices and actions towards ensuring up access and provision of
gender-responsive WASH services for women and girls in Uganda.
She pledged to strengthen accountability and monitoring of WASH service delivery in the country.
Alupo encouraged all partners to join the campaign and together with the government to “WASH Away Inequality” and create a better future for all women and girls in Uganda.
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