Workshop on NGO Forum HYSAWA Project Held

To share the findings, experiences and learnings of the NGO Forum's
Interim HYSAWA Project a Workshop was held on April 2006 in Rangamati,
Bangladesh.

The Project was implemented from January 2004- March 2006 with the main
objective to build the capacity of Hill Tracts NGO Forum and local NGOs to
prepare and manage water supply and sanitation projects and to provide services
in hygiene promotion , community mobilization and design, construction,
certification and sustain the WSS facilities.

The 11 CHT NGOs implemented the activities of the HYSAWA Project in
collaboration with NGO Forum. Santu larma, Chairperson, CHT Regional
Committee was present as the Chief Guest in the Workshop. He called upon Danida
to support for long term period in future to develop the hilly people.
Danish Ambassador Neils Severin Munk promised to give the economic support
in large scheme to HYSAWA Project of NGO Forum in future.

Among others Sujit Dewan, Member, Rangamati Zila Committee, Mr. S. M.
Emdadul Huq, Addl. Magistrate, Mr. Lalit Chandra Chakma, General Secretary, Hill
Tracts NGO Forum addressed the Workshop.

NGO Forum's Executive Director S. M. A. Rashid presented the experiences
and learning of the Project in the workshop. Representatives from local,
national and international organizations attended the Workshop.

Guidelines for NGOs Stressed

Speakers at a discussion underscored the need for the formulation of guidelines for the Non-Governmental Organizations to increase efficiency and ensure accountability and transparency. They made this observation at a round table discussion on ‘NGO Governance Principles’ held at the

Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in the city recently. BEI President Farooq Sobhan presided over the discussion.
Addressing the roundtable, Deputy Executive Director of BRAC Manzoor Hasan said that the uniform legal framework was required to update the NGO activities as the neighbouring country India has done. NGO Governance Consultant of BEI Safi Rahman Khan presented the proposed framework of NGOs titled ‘NGO Governance Principles’.
While describing the salient features of the principles, Safi Rahman Khan said, “NGOs should have sound financial management and legal procedures and safeguards in place. This is required not only to comply with different legal and regulatory requirements, but also to assure the public, donors and others that investments in the organization are safe and being properly utilized for achieving the organization’s mission”.
BEI president Farooq Sobhan said, “We are making principles for NGOs not for creating new problems”. The guidelines must be initiatives friendly for NGOs, he added. The representatives of different NGOs were present at the round table discussion.

The Bangladesh Observer, 15 April 2006

4th World water Forum Held

New Initiatives Launched

The 4th World Water Forum, which was held from 16-22 March 2006 in Mexico City, lived up to its theme “Local Actions for a Global Challenge” by presenting 1,600 local actions. The actions covered the five themes of the Forum, one of which was “Water Supply and Sanitation for All”. These local actions will be added to the Water Action and Networking Database (WAND), maintained by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and launched at the Forum.
Other noteworthy initiatives announced during the Forum include:
• 2008 International Year of Sanitation, UN Sanitation Prize, and 2015 Global Sanitation Conference (recommendations of the UN Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation)
• France’s commitment to doubling its efforts in water and sanitation

• Asia-Pacific Water Forum, established by ministers from the Asia-Pacific region
• WWC’s “Water for Schools” initiative providing water to 1,000 schools in ten countries, and the creation of schools for training higher-level technicians
• Memorandum of Understanding between UN-HABITAT and the African Development Bank to release US$ 550 million (EUR 448 million) for meeting the MDG water target in Africa
• Water Integrity Network launched by Transparency International
The 4th World Water Forum was organized by the World Water Council (WWC). The Forum attracted 19,800 participants, including 1,100 journalists from 149 countries. Some 320 national and international organizations took part in 205 sessions.

Source Weekly, 7 April 2006

World Water Crisis Worsened by Corruption and Repression

Corruption, restricted political rights and limited civil liberties are all factors that lie behind the planet’s growing water crisis, says a new United Nations report (released on 9 March 2006 in Mexico) that focuses on the precious resource of fresh water.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said that the second edition of the UN World Water Development Report shows that the global water crisis is largely a crisis of governing systems that “determine who gets what water, when and how, and decides who has the right to water and related services”.
Entitled “Water, a Shared Responsibility”, the report builds on the conclusions of the first water development study published three years ago. It presents a comprehensive picture of freshwater resources in all regions and most countries as it tracks progress towards the water-related targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Known collectively as the MDGs, these targets were set at a 2000 UN Summit and aim to reduce major global ills such as poverty, illiteracy and hunger by 2015.

The Independent, 21 April 2006

February 2006

March 2006