Citizen voice for WASH-IWRM integration in devolved governance: lessons from Watershed Kenya

Sustainable Development Goal 6 requires closer links between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and water resources management (WRM), a political process which invokes the importance of CSOs and citizens’ voices where the interest and needs of the WASH sector are negotiated with the other water using sub-sectors. This combination of voice is catalytic to the realization of good water governance encompassing: responsive policies, access to information, inclusive stakeholder engagement, gender and other vulnerabilities mainstreaming, safe guards in WRM. This paper seeks to provide insights from Watershed-Empowering Citizens, a strategic partnership between the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IRC, Simavi, Wetlands International and Akvo. It outlines experiences of Watershed Kenya Programme in Laikipia and Kajiado Counties, where the Water Dialogue Forum (WDF) model is adopted to empower citizens to meaningful engage in citizen-state dialogue for development initiatives, promote coordinated planning at catchment level and avoid duplication of initiatives.