Address by Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Peter Doyle
Launch of the New Manual and Community Action Plan
to support rural communities' access to sustainable clean water
General Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DGAS), Secretary of State for Water, Sanitation and Urbanisation (SE-ASeU) & Ministry of Public Works (MoPW)
28 October 2014
Good Morning
• Your Excellency Minister of Public Works
• Your Excellency Secretary of State for Local Development
• Director Generals, Directors, Heads of Departments here today
• All the Water and Sanitation staff here from all 13 districts
• Representatives from all the agencies and organisations here today working in the Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and disability sectors
• Ladies and gentlemen
This morning I am very pleased to take part in the official launch of the new fieldworkers manual for the 80 or so Sub-District Facilitators from the District Offices of DGAS around the country, who are supporting rural communities to plan for and manage their water systems. The launch of this new manual is an exciting government initiative that Australia is very proud to be supporting.
The Government of Australia through the DFAT funded program of BESIK (Bee, Saneamentu no Ijiene iha Komunidade) has been providing assistance to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste for the development of rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene (RWASH) activities in Timor Leste since 2009. Prior to that, assistance was given through the Australian Government funded Community Water Supply and Sanitation (CWSSP) program from 2002.
On behalf of DFAT, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our colleagues at DGAS on the development of this manual, including all the District Managers, Sub-District Facilitators and District Technical Officers present today who have enthusiastically contributed to its development. This manual should have a significant impact on improving access to water for rural communities in Timor Leste.
It is a great pleasure to see all of the Sub-District Facilitators here today. As the main government contact person for rural water supply in the communities of your sub-district, you all hold an extremely important role. Your support to rural communities can make a big difference in improving their access to water in a sustainable way.
This manual holds the key to strengthening community planning andownership for its water system and thereby improving prospects for sustainable access and use. It has a focus on whole-of-community engagement in water infrastructure planning and forming a water management group (otherwise known as GMF), with the active participation of women on these GMFs.
Effective GMFs are important for improving water system sustainability in Timor-Leste. A study on GMFs conducted in December 2013 revealed that the percentage of Aldeias with systems that are always functioning increases from 35% to 53% when it is managed by a GMF. Another study found that 80% of fully functioning water systems had an active GMF. The study also showed that as women’s participation increases, so does the proportion of functional water systems.
But all GMFs need support in maintaining these water systems to make sure they stay functioning. This manual will assist the SDF in providing this support, and encouraging the participation of all the community (women, men, vulnerable groups, people with disabilities) in all community planning processes for functioning and sustainable water systems across Timor Leste.
Australia is proud to be supporting all the hard work that has gone into the development of this manual by all the water and sanitation staff working at national, district and sub-district levels. I wish you all the very best in using this manual. The rural communities for which you work will be able to benefit from the experience of your endeavours over the coming years.
Thank you
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Ambassador Peter Doyle addresses Launch of the New Manual and Community Action Plan to support rural communities' access to sustainable clean water, in Dili on 28 October 2014. |
Ambassador Peter Doyle and Minister for Public Works, Gastao da Sousa, display a new Manual and Community Action Plan to support rural communities' access to sustainable clean water, in Dili on 28 October 2014. |
