Background                        

The MOLE conference series which was first organized in 1989 by a group of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) has become the main rallying platform for discussing issues on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH). This feat has been attained due to the tenacity of purpose, commitment, and dynamic leadership exhibited by the trailblazers and subsequently, the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) leads the effective collaboration with other key players including central and local government institutions, development partners, academic and research institutions, and the private sector among others.

This year’s conference is happening against the backdrop of international and national concerns and discussions on climate change and water resources management, and institutional alignment for effective service delivery. At the national level, the development and roll-of new WASH policies (GWASHSDP, Water Policy, and Sanitation Policy) is an added impetus for policy discussions on looking back to catalyze momentum into the future. Securing Government and stakeholder commitments to WASH and assessing progress, reviewing challenges, and discussing the way forward is a clear action to work towards the national vision of WASH for all agenda by 2030.

Consistent with the coalition’s mission of working in partnership with relevant stakeholders to influence policies, remove barriers and to promote access safe WASH for the poor and vulnerable, this year’s event will set the agenda and commence a national dialogue aimed at reviewing Ghana’s  progress on sustainable,safe and equitable WASH services delivery, and to accelerate discussions on institutional arrangement/alignment appropriate for enhanced co-ordination, collaboration among relevant Government agencies, co-ordination between Government agencies and Civil Society Organizations/ Development Partners/Private Sector. The conference will also dive into effective service delivery approaches and methods to sustain, while reviewing some approaches within the context of rolling out revised national WASH policies.

Context

The vision for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 is to reach everyone everywhere by 2030. SDG 6 is an ambitious desire to ‘ensure availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All’ by 2030. The Government of Ghana is making every effort to fully meet all its Sanitation and Water targets by 2030. The National vision for the water and sanitation sector is “sustainable basic water and sanitation service for all by 2025” which in detailed terms means “all people living in Ghana have access to adequate, safe, affordable and reliable basic water service, practice safe sanitation and hygiene and that water resources are sustainably managed”[1].

SDG 6 targets 6.1 and 6.2 calls for drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene call for equitable access to safe and adequate services for all, as well as end open defecation. The Government of Ghana has aligned itself to the goal and targets and is taking appropriate steps to review national WASH policies to also reflect the Africa Agenda 2063, N’gor and other SWA commitments.

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR) in 2023 published the Ghana WASH Sector Development Programme (GWASHSDP, 2023-2030), published the revised 2024 National Water Policy in July 2024 and finalized the revised National Environmental Sanitation Policy and related strategies and plans to align with the SDG standards and national aspirations as well as taking decisive actions on proposed institutional and funding restructuring by the Government.

The actualization of Ghana’s WASH vision is further bolstered by on-going reforms[2] in rural and small-town water delivery with the professionalization of staffing and service delivery at the core. Hopefully, this will deal with hydra-headed, regulation, sustainability, and equity challenges in WASH services delivery. Mole XXXV will ignite renewed commitment in Ghana’s WASH sector to the SDGs, seeking to catalyze bold and collective actions for sustainable and equitable WASH services delivery.

Despite progress made on WASH services delivery since from 2015 to 2024, there are still challenges with co-ordination among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) especially when viewed with the lens of promoting climate-resilient WASH service delivery. Institutional WASH (Health Care Facilities, Schools, Prisons etc) have witnessed some level of improved collaboration and co-ordination among MDAs, but vertical and horizontal coordination needs to be improved to sustain the gains made.  Approaches, Strategies, and Methods should be in sync with policies and enable the environment to sustain innovative WASH service delivery.

Innovative financing options should respond to various appropriate technologies which should address service delivery challenge in last mile communities. The role of the private is critical in providing and sustaining safe WASH services to the ‘last mile’ communities with appropriate technology and innovative financing strategies. Looking back, addressing past and current challenges will help in fashioning appropriate strategies, methods, and plans for sustainable, equitable, and safe WASH services. 

[1] Government of Ghana (2012): Water and Sanitation Sector Development Plan (2012-2025).

[2] Led by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, responsible for rural and small-town water supply delivery.

MOLE XXXV Conference

MOLE XXXV Conference will focus on looking back on Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goal Six (SDG6) implementation, and reviewing approaches, methods and discussing effective institutional alignment to achieve the 2030 SDG6 and national WASH targets. The MOLE XXXV Conference is intended to create a common space where policymakers, practitioners and researchers can gather to give account on the state of Ghana’s WASH delivery systems – through the review of available evidence, interrogating the science and methods, exploring the latest learnings and existing experiences, towards reviewing progress, assessing challenges to address the WASH service delivery gaps. Conference will also explore how WASH delivery methods; sector coordination and current service delivery models will impact on Ghana’s pace towards achieving WASH for all by 2030.

Objectives

The overall objective of the conference is to look back on Ghana’s SDG six implementation trajectory, assess progress, review changes, and discuss way forward towards universal access to sustainable WASH services in the country by discussing the systems, approaches method, and models of WASH service delivery, and discussing the challenges and way forward for climate resistant, safe, sustainable, and equitable WASH services delivery.

The specific objectives include the following:

1. Reflect on Ghana’s SDG 6 implementation progress and approaches towards achieving national and SDG 6 targets for water, sanitation, and hygiene in the country.
2. Review our progress, approaches, methods to service delivery that addresses equity concerns and promote climate-resistant WASH service delivery for everyone everywhere.
3. Discuss options for institutional alignment/realignment for delivering safe and sustainable WASH services to deprived and underserved communities that will respond to climate change and health concerns.
4. Highlight cutting-edge partnerships with education, health, economic and environment sectors in delivering cost-effective, affordable, and inclusive WASH services.
5. Review existing innovative financing approaches that are inclusive and self-sustaining.
6. Explore appropriate technology and innovations for delivering safe WASH services in an equitable and inclusive manner.
7. Develop practical and actionable recommendations to address the challenges and accelerate access to sustainable WASH services.

Participants

The conference will attract the participation of the following stakeholders and actors:

• Ministries, departments, and agencies
• Legislators
• Development partners
• Academia
• Research institutions
• Non-governmental organizations
• CBOs/FBOs
• Civil society organizations
• Private sector
• Media Houses

Expected outcomes

• The adoption of an agreed set of recommendations for tracking Ghana’s commitments and keeping the Government and stakeholders on track to accelerate sustainable WASH services delivery.
• A clear understanding of effective institutional arrangements, service delivery approaches, models, and methods capable of replicability, and scalability towards WASH for all agenda.

Benefits

The conference will offer a rare opportunity for participants to:

• learn from good practices across the country and beyond.
• disseminate the results of successful programs and projects.
• meet industry players and share what works and what doesn’t, identifying synergies and ways of working together in the future.
• meet and network with relevant stakeholders in the WASH sector.
• be part of a critical mass of stakeholders and actors committed to prioritizing and promoting sustainable WASH services delivery.

Thematic Scope

The theme for the conference is   Back on SDG Six Implementation in Ghana: Progress, Challenges and Way Forward. The five sub-themes to be discussed in detail are the following:

Sub-theme 1: Institutional Alignment: This theme will highlight and discuss current institutional arrangement with a view to recommending appropriate institutional arrangement that will help address threats of climate change, sustain WASH-Health linkages as well promote WASH in schools and prisons.

     Key Pathways:

1. Policy, Planning and Institutional frameworks for safe WASH service delivery.
2. Service delivery innovations – rural-urban context, un-served & marginalized groups.
3. Adaptations and transformations in the sustainable WASH resources management

• Sub–theme 2: Polices, Approaches, Strategies, and Methods for Safe WASH Services: This theme will focus on how the recently launched WASH policies will be anchored on strengthened approaches, strategies, and methods for safe, sustainable WASH services delivery. This sub-theme will stimulate discussions around best practices in school WASH delivery, health and WASH, Market-based models in WASH services and environmental sanitation, with special emphasis on waste management and the best way to sustain the currents gains in handwashing practice.

    Key Pathways:

1. Sanitation and hygiene approaches, methods, and plans towards universal service delivery
2. Water service delivery approaches and alternatives proposals to reach last mile communities.
3. Innovative PPP models in WASH service delivering in Ghana.

• Sub–theme 3: Innovative Financing for WASH services Delivery: This theme will examine the current sanitation financing models and mechanisms and institutional arrangements for delivering equitable and inclusive WASH services with improved sustainability mechanisms. This sub-theme will also focus on best practices in the application of WASH subsidy as well as explore other private sector financing options. This sub-theme will also highlight emerging innovations that deliver cost-effective WASH solutions with increased private sector participation.

      Key Pathways:

1. Market-based approaches and business models
2. Inclusive WASH financing (pro-poor mechanisms)
3. Towards post-construction and O & M financing of WASH infrastructure

• Sub-theme 4: Innovations and Technology for WASH Services: This theme will analyze the current innovations and technology options for safe WASH services delivery, especially for hard-to-reach/last mile communities. The role of Government, NGOs, and the Private sector in promoting these innovations and appropriate technology options will be highlighted and the pathways for replication and sustainability defined.

 Key Pathways:

1. Tracing current innovations and technologies – status, successes, and gaps.
2. Role of key stakeholders in promoting innovations and technology.
3. Institutional and governance arrangements for promoting innovations and technology.
4. Status of Sector Information System (SIS)
5. Innovations in data capture and management and ICT in WASH service delivery

Format

The conference will aim at balancing plenary and panel discussions with interactive parallel sections and opportunities for maximizing interaction among participants. Apart from the main conference venue, two virtual conference centers with an online link will also be established to enable participation from persons who will be unable to travel to the main conference venue. A conference reception, capacity-building workshops, field trips to WASH facility Jirapa, tourist visits and a special dinner and awards night will also form part of the conference.

The following will constitute the various components of the conference:

• Plenary: Presentations on selected themes will be made by selecting experts in the area for discussion.
• Expert panel discussions: Following presentations on thematic areas, discussions will seek to unearth expert opinion and generate dialogue among participants.
• Group discussions: Key issues emanating from presentations will be discussed in plenary and in smaller groups. Outcomes of group work will be captured and shared in plenary.
• Verbal Presentations: A variety of selected papers will be presented and discussed at parallel sessions. Papers may share successes and failures of approaches and field experiences.
• Side events: Side events will be in the form of collaborative learning experiences focused on new and emerging practices. During the side events, international organizations, NGOs, programs, or projects will be given a platform to share results, introduce new approaches, or engage the conference audience on emerging issues in the sector.
• Posters: Poster presentations will focus on emerging research within the sector, or as a front for quick dissemination/ display of relevant knowledge materials during the conference.
• Media events: The Mole XXXIV conference will receive high level media coverage and reportage as part of the planned objectives of the conference.
• Exhibitions: Organizations, resource centers, service providers and manufacturers will have the opportunity to exhibit their products at a fee and engage participants during the conference.
• Conference Communiqué: A key output of the conference will be a presentation of the Conference Communiqué in a press conference which will capture key decisions from conference proceedings.

CONTACT US

The Executive Secretary

Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS)

P.M. B. 24, KIA, Accra, Phone:   +233 24459-5664 +233 24 498 9085

coniwas@yahoo.com

www.coniwasghana.com