HAK and partners conducted dialogue WASH as human rights in Bobonaro Municipality
Bobonaro – HAK Association together with PNBESITL, GFFTL and Focal Point of FONGTIL Bobonaro and supported by WaterAid Timor-Leste’s team organized a dialogue with the theme “Increase Municipal Authorities and Development Partners’ Awareness through sharing the lesson learnt of Community Score Card”. This meeting is as a dialogue mechanism to share WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) as human rights related information and Community Score Card instrument that contributes to the improvement of WASH sector to the municipal authorities and civil society organizations in Bobonaro. Besides, the team also conducted water quality test on 17 of June at the Bao-Mali spring in Raifun and continue with the discussion with the Water User Group members in Nunutana sub-village. It was then followed by municipal level WASH dialogue on 18 of June.
In the opening session, the Director of HAK said that HAK and its partners’ work in Manufahi and Liquiçá happens under the strong cooperation with WaterAid Timor-Leste. These works become lessons learnt to the stakeholders in Bobonaro on how to use it in concrete action through municipal level planning. In National Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, the Government has compromised that by 2030 everyone will have access to water. However, community’s demand to accessing water is not only Bobonaro, but even Dili. Last year, Government and Civil Society had a national dialogue in Loelaco discussing about potential solution to various sectors, but today HAK and its partners discuss about water issues for the well-being of the people in Bobonaro is as important moment to each one of us.
The representative of WaterAid Timor-Leste Country Director, Ms. Livia da Cruz on her intervention introduced that WaterAid Timor-Leste’s intervention focuses on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in rural communities in Liquiçá and Manufahi. Besides that, the aspect of climate change, gender equality, and social inclusion also integrated into it. WaterAid Timor-Leste with its partner SMASA (municipal actor working in Water, Sanitation and Environment) whereby the Directors of SMASA L iquiçá and Manufahi and Loidahar’s Chief of Village’s presence here is to share the lessons learnt from the implemented programs under our cooperation.
Mr.Julio Carvalho Pereira as the representative of the Bobonaro’s President of Authority on his intervention explained that, community has the rights to access to water. However, they also have the duty to protect water facilities. In fact, there is high demand to have access to water but the facilities provided by the Government could be damaged just in a few days. The changing Government structures, and community’s awareness are the main challenges. He added that, I expect that today’s dialogue could inspire Bobonaro’s SMASA Director and the water user groups, particularly the lessons learnt that will be shared by the Directors of SMASA from Liquiçá and Manufahi. Finally, socialization is to the community highly needed to ensure the sustainability of the facilities.
This activity is supported by the Australian Government through Water for Women and implemented by WaterAid Timor-Leste and its implementing partners PNBESITL, GFFTL and HAK Association.
