Skip to main content

IRC's approach

Delivering good water, sanitation and hygiene services not just to a few people for a while but to everyone forever requires a fundamental shift in the way we all think and work together.

WASH news and events

Search and explore all 225 articles here

Poster presentation by Asutifi North District at National Learning Exchange

NDPC, IRC and partners host the third National Learning Exchange

A learning exchange was held on district-wide initiatives for Sustainable Development Goal 6 in...
Watershed voices of empowerment

Watershed Voices of Empowerment

Strong civil society leaders share how they are fighting to bring safe water and sanitation to...
WASH systems academy

Self-registration now available for the WASH Systems Academy

You can start with the WASH Systems Academy anytime, anywhere.
WASH systems academy

Self-registration for the WASH Systems Academy

Now you can start with the WASH Systems Academy anytime, anywhere.
School toilet in Ouolondo (M. Kane, IRC Mali)

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: Mali/Niger

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC's Annual Report...
SHG Federation workers of Kanamana Gram Panchayat

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: India

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC's Annual Report...
Mayors receive a certificate of recognition for their participation in the Forum with Mayors Honduras

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: Honduras

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC's Annual Report...
District level learning alliance platform meeting

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: Ghana

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC's Annual Report...
UNICEF and IRC train 35 deputies and parliamentary assistants

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: Burkina Faso

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC’s Annual Report...
Advocacy

Specialist course: Advocating for universal WASH services

Want to increase your impact? Be a WASH advocate!
Participants at the self-assessment workshop in Banfora (Ph. N-R. ZOHOUN)

Halfway 2020 Banfora did a self-assessment

A joint mid-term review workshop was organised in Banfora on July 7, 2020.
Aboubakar Hema, Maire de Banfora, Issouf Coulibaly, représentant du Gouverneur, Richard Bassono de l’IRC (PH. N-R. ZOHOUN)

A mi-chemin 2020, Banfora s’auto évalue

Un atelier de revue conjointe à mi-parcours était organisé à Banfora le 17 juillet 2020.
Delegate from Ethiopia at IRC WASH symposium

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: Ethiopia

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC’s Annual Report...
Kabarole district Chairman

Highlights from our focus countries in 2019: Uganda

What impact did we have in our focus countries in 2019? Sharing highlights from IRC’s Annual Report...
Mpanga river in Kabarole district, Uganda

Making progress on SDG 6 in Kabarole, Uganda

Uganda's national daily newspaper The New Vision features the Kabarole master plan for achieving...
Douossou Sourabie, maintenance worker and proud member of the WASH system at the ONEA treatment facility in Banfora

Districts at the heart of our work

IRC's Annual report 2019

Blogs, podcasts, opinions and more

Search and explore all 321 posts here

Open budget meeting, Veduria Union, Bangladesh

The magical civic space that brings stakeholders together

Getting citizens and marginalised groups a seat at the table with local government is a core activity of IRC.
A camel and cattle on the banks of water body, Somali region, Ethiopia

Systems thinking for WASH in chronic crises: lessons from Ethiopia

Sharing lessons learnt from Somali region around systems thinking in WASH and collaboration between organisations in the humanitarian-development-...
People fetching water at a tanker in Afar, Ethiopia

Strong WASH systems are climate resilient systems

The same capacities that help us adapt to COVID-19 can be used to face climate change.
Woman sitting in front of computer screen in Ganjam district, Odisha, India

Decolonisation of WASH knowledge: addressing institutional bias

COVID-19 and #BlackLivesMatter are a wake-up call for leaders to take a closer look at WASH knowledge generation.
La Vies des Noires Compte / Black Lives Matter, Gay Village, Monteal

Decolonising the WASH sector

Being true to #BlackLivesMatter. Report of an IRC Global Talk.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) instructions for chlorine disinfection in Kabarole, Uganda. Photo M. Watsisi/IRC Uganda

What legacy of COVID-19 do we want for the WASH sector?

Our strategic systems responses to the pandemic and climate change.
WASH system academy animation

Strengthening WASH systems: Join the community

The WASH Systems Academy is inspiring to do more.
water user fee collection

Funding WASH Systems during COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented on all areas of peoples lives globally, on a scale barely imagined only a few months ago. From the ever...
Queuing for water in the Sahel

Navigating WASH complexity through collective action

Providing water and sanitation services to people who live in rural areas or informal settlements or simply aren’t connected to pipes is a complex...
Presenter in front of large screen with slide

Reflections from the 2020 Colorado WASH Symposium

Sharing, learning and collaborating at the University of Colorado annual WASH Symposium.
Faecal sludge management in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Citywide inclusive sanitation: applying systems thinking

Two major development players simultaneously publish papers supporting a more 'systems' based approach.
David DeArmey of Water for Good

Bringing clarity to the WASH system

Interview with David DeArmey of Water for Good about using IRC tools in a fragile context.
SDG clock

When the clock stops

The global community has a decade to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals – can we?
Collective action session at UNC

What are collective action approaches anyway?

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success," Henry Ford famously said.
Eng, Joseph Oriono Eyatu, Uganda, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Ghana, Patrick Moriarty

Money follows politics

What does government leadership in the African water and sanitation sector really mean? Perspectives from a technocrat, a politician and IRC's CEO.
Central African Republic - Water for Good

Can you strengthen WASH systems in fragile states?

Lessons from the Central African Republic and Mali. Report of a WASH debate.

Resources

Search and explore all 244 resources here

Reframing the challenges and opportunities for improved sanitation services in Eastern Africa...

2020
Successful sanitation approaches were...

IRC Monitoring Reports 2013 - 2019

2020

The District-Wide Approach : progress review from its application in five districts in Rwanda

2020
This systematic approach to planning suits the...

Burkina Faso : a water sanitation and hygiene information sheet

2020
The status of WASH at national and municipal...

WASH system building block assessment tool

2020
An Excel tool to assess the strengths and...

Strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene systems : concepts, examples, and experiences

2020
This paper presents the journeys that Agenda for...

Application of the district-wide approach in 5 pilot districts of Rwanda : lessons learned

2020
Between 2017 and 2019, the District-Wide Approach...

Learning exchange visit to Asutifi North District, Ghana on implementation of the district WASH...

2019

All systems go! WASH systems symposium : proceedings part 2

2019
All systems go! was the first event of its kind...

A local systems analysis for rural water services delivery in South Ari and Mile, Ethiopia

2019
This report summarises the strengths of the...

Planning differently : developing long-term, strategic plans for district-wide water, sanitation...

2019
Long-term strategic planning at the district...

IRC annual report 2018

2019
This annual report reflects on 2018, the second...

It takes a system (to deliver WASH services)

2019
Keynote presentation on why networking and...

The roadmap to sustainable WASH services - podcast

2019

WASH Systems strengthening in Rwanda - podcast

2019

Taking a systems strengthening approach

2019

Videos

Strong WASH systems: playing the hub role
Strong WASH systems: political buy-in and leadership
Strong WASH systems: the importance of master planning
Strong systems: making water and sanitation for everyone, everywhere and forever a reality
Systems strengthening for sanitation
WASH is about systems
An introduction to multi-stakeholder platforms with Jeroen Warner
Patrick's Poo
It's about the systems stupid
Working for change in Uganda
The power of working together: Kabarole district
Kampala WASH Symposium - Exploring a Whole System Approach
Tribute speech for Ton Schouten by Harold Lockwood
The quest for water services that last
The ideal WASH sustainability tool
2014 WASH Sustainability Forum