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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 197 articles here

Sanitation systems animation clip

What does sanitation systems strengthening mean?

Watch this animation and sign up for our free basic course on WASH Systems strengthening!
Ghana team with Hilton representatives

IRC Ghana and partners receive Hilton Foundation representatives

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation's new Vice President of Strategy and Programs – Marc J. Holley, and...
South Ari community fetching water

Report on local systems analysis for rural water published

Understanding local systems to find solutions to poor sustainability in Ethiopia.
WASH systems academy

WASH Systems Academy to be launched at World Water Week

Soon, everyone will have a chance at becoming a WASH systems master with this unique learning...
Workshop participants in Banfora, Burkina Faso

One Drop reaffirms its support to the municipality of Banfora

Partners commit to help the municipality of Banfora roll out its strategic plan during a workshop.
Une vue du service technique Eau-Hygiène-Assainissement de la mairie de Banfora

Le service Eau, Hygiène et Assainissement de Banfora passé à la loupe

La commune de Banfora a effectué un diagnostic organisationnel de son service technique en charge...
Annual report 2018 - cover

2018 - a year of master plans, our 50th birthday and more

IRC's Annual Report 2018
WASH systems academy thumbnail

Register for the WASH Systems Academy

Learn the basics of WASH systems strengthening
Members of the IWRM Thematic Working Group participate in a learning session in Mbarara, June 2018

Applying lessons to improve WASH service delivery

Learning and adaptation is about preparedness to innovate and to use the insights and lessons...
Minister of Local Government (left), receives copies of the district WASH Masterplan from Kabarole District Chairman (right)

Long-term planning essential for sustainable WASH services

Planning is the WASH systems building block that involves budgeting and the determination of costs...
Baluku (left) and Stephen Baryebuga (right) Members of Kabarole HPMA at work

Viable institutions are key to strong WASH systems

IRC supports institutions that promise to improve and professionalise the delivery and management...
Banfora road sign (photo by Anne Mimault)

Do you know the municipality of Banfora?

Located 450 km from the political capital and 85 km from the economic capital of Burkina Faso, the...
Entrée de la ville de Banfora, crédit photo Anne Mimault, 2017

Connaissez-vous la commune de Banfora ?

Située à 450km de la capitale politique et à 85 km de celle économique du Burkina Faso, la Commune...
Group photo after launch ANAM investment phase

Asutifi North District launches ANAM investment phase

A four-year investment phase targets communities with no water service at all and those with...
Discussion cards

Shared problems, shared solutions

Using learning alliances to unify the WASH system.
WASH systems academy main image

WASH systems strengthening: the basics

First course of the WASH Systems Academy launches in September! Register now!

Blogs, podcasts, opinions and more

Search and explore all 305 posts here

Loo with a view, Trawden, Lancashire, UK

Stop being a neo-liberal and embrace the sanitation system

Sanitation is chronically underfunded, perhaps that’s because we’re not asking for money in the right way or from the right source.
WASH Systems Academy icon

IRC's WASH Systems Academy shortlisted for Innovation Award

IRC's new learning platform, the WASH Systems Academ y, has been shortlisted as one of the ten finalists for the Spindle award "Best Innovation for...
These Funders Are Betting on a Systems Approach

These funders are betting on a systems approach

Water and sanitation comprise an increasingly important focus for global health and development philanthropy, but the approach has often been...
SIWI sofa 2019

World Water Week 2019 through the lens of IRC

Finding ways to build and finance strong WASH systems, including everyone along the way.
Glass half full or half empty?

A GLAAS half full?

Two new UN reports show where we are and where it is we want to get to; now it's time to step up national leadership.
Harriet Burungu fetching water in Kabarole district

It's all about the blend

How a blending of service delivery models and finance within a district may hold the solution to financing safe water supplies for everyone.
Speakers Panel at the WASH Debate on Dialogue and Dissent, The Hague, 26 June 2019

Bringing empowered voices to the table

The role of civil society in evidence-based advocacy for the human rights to water and sanitation. Report of a WASH Debate.
Vulnerable women deprived of access to water due to insufficient investment and a failure of the service delivery model

IRC Burkina: are we on track with our strategic plan 2017-2021?

A brief presentation of IRC Burkina's 2017-2021 strategic framework, the progress achieved by the end of 2018 and the expectations for 2019.
Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Ghana's Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources and Vida Duti, IRC Ghana Country Director

Call the minister

Why networking and collective action are essential to systems change.
Expose the System

Promoting the system

Bringing effective and decisive political leadership to bear on WASH requires that we expose the system; making it visible and actionable to those...
Session panelists sharing their story

Embracing complexity: Drawing our mental models

Drawing your vision of complex systems while listening to panelists' experiences in the field.
Catarina de Albuquerque speaking at the Peace Palace, The Hague, 13 March 2019.

Passion, political leadership and knowledge

What it will take to bring water and sanitation to everyone.
Doodle on capacity building

Capacity building for SDG 6 implementation – IRC symposium lessons

Five sessions on capacity building during the IRC symposium provided additional knowledge and skills in WASH systems practice.
Highlights - All systems go!

All systems go! Highlights

Revisiting some of the greatest moments from the symposium dedicated to WASH systems strengthening.
Participants at the IRC Symposium All Systems Go!

Education, the main challenge for WASH systems

When we talk about water and sanitation systems (WASH), it is easy to think only of infrastructure, construction, and toilets… but that is not just...
Lukas Kwezi at the IRC symposium

WASH systems strengthening: old wine in new bottles?

An account of personal reflections on the shift to a systems approach.

Resources

Search and explore all 234 resources here

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...

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...

IRC Monitoring Report 2018

2019
An internal document that is made available for...

The roadmap to sustainable WASH services

2019

WASH Systems strengthening in Rwanda - podcast

2019

Taking a systems strengthening approach

2019

For who is WASH systems strengthening - podcast

2019

Equity and WASH systems strengthening - podcast

2019

It’s about strengthening systems - podcast

2019

It’s about strengthening WASH systems

2019

WASH Systems Academy - How does it work?

2019

How to use learning alliances to achieve systems change at scale

2019
This working paper sets out the thinking behind...

Systems strengthening for sanitation; how does it work

2019
Animation about the sanitation service chain.

All systems go! - Symposium concept notes for the thematic areas

2019

Videos

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
Everyone, Forever: The Chinda Experience.
WASHTech
What if...?