Key Responsibilities of Regional WASH Cluster Coordinator (RWCC)

1) To support service delivery:

•  RWCC ensures that the coordination meeting is routinely organized to take stock of the emergency preparedness and response situation. Frequency of the meeting to be determined and decided at the regional level.
• Ensure effective coordination with other clusters at regional level (with OCHA support).
• Work with core pipeline stock managers (DACAAR, IMO and National WASH Cluster coordination team) to monitor Core Pipeline levels, facilitate partner requests for supplies, and assess if Core Pipeline quantities meet existing and expected needs of the region.
• Ensure that the RWC is represented in the Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC) meetings.
• Be a point of contact for national cluster, promote the use of the WASH Cluster website and keep the national cluster updated (by sharing minutes etc.) on progress, needs, and issues/challenges related to WASH in Emergencies (WinE) in the Region.
• Be proactive on referrals from AWAAZ directly or indirectly through NWCC or any other sectors, ensuring such referrals are assessed, addressed, tracked and feedback shared with concerned/relevant entities.
• Maintain a repertoire of active WASH cluster partners contacts (emails, telephone etc.) for focal persons as well as for alternative focal point persons.
• Ensure effective coordination, Communication and information sharing with PRRD at regional level.
• Ensure that, for quality service delivery, MRRD technical standards are considered in WASH project implementation especially for durable water supply projects.
• Consultatively address handing over process of WASH projects/systems to the project participants through DoRR, RRD, and or with WASH cluster members.

2) To inform the HC/HCT’s strategic decision-making through the WASH Cluster platform

• Through partnership with cluster members/inter cluster team initiate and or support needs assessment of affected population and exchange information and reports, highlighting urgent WASH-related needs and gaps to avoid duplication and support effective decision making.
• To support and coordinate mapping and identification of vulnerable groups among the conflict and disaster affected populations prioritizing WASH needs and emergency response.
• To support and encourage integration of priority cross-cutting issues in WASH needs assessment(s), analysis, planning, monitoring and response (e.g. age, diversity, environment, gender and protection).

3) To plan and implement cluster strategies

• The RWCC facilitates the updating of the Regional/Provincial WASH Contingency Plan with support from NWC where necessary and practical.
• To disseminate national strategies, guidelines and standards among the regional partners and support their implementation.
• Ensure maintenance of appropriate WASH Cluster coordination mechanisms – with National WASH Cluster IMO ensure the 3/4 Ws are updated and appropriately represent partners’ presence and response capacity in the region, provides inputs where necessary on key national cluster documents/planning and strategy documents such as cluster HRP, contingency/preparedness plans, advocacy papers etc.
• Adequately participate/support NWC in the AHF – standard/Reserve allocation activities prioritization, geographical coverage and partners’ response capacity.

4) To monitor and evaluate performance

• Maintain up to date information on partners’ presence and capacity within the sector in the given region, using a 3/4 W tool/matrix that is periodically updated.
• Provide feedback to the National WASH Cluster coordination team on progress in the WASH sector, including successes, obstacles best practices, and share attractive photos from the project.
• Where practical work closely with OCHA and Partners implementing AHF-Standard or Reserve allocation to ensure WASH response(s) meet acceptable cluster standards and provide quality services to the planned beneficiaries.
• Conduct joint monitoring of WASH projects with OCHA.
• Assist National WASH Cluster to promote and support training and capacity building of WASH humanitarian partners, based on the mapping and understanding of available capacities.
•  Identify training/capacity building needs of partners on WASH technical standards and guidelines.

5) To support robust advocacy

• Support advocacy campaigns, especially facing WASH gaps related to conflict, natural disasters (e.g. drought, floods, famine etc.), public health issues (malnutrition, outbreaks such AWD, COVID-19 etc.) and protection issues (toward Gender Based Violence (GBV) risks, Persons with Disability/ies (PwD), elders etc.), as well as all cross-sector advocacy issues (such as humanitarian space and access, need based assistance, impartiality and neutrality of humanitarian response) and special events (such as World Water Day, Global Hand Washing and World Toilet Day).

6) Accountability to the Affected Population (AAP) / putting communities at the center

• To ensure WASH programs are designed so as to provide equitable access and reduce incidences of gender-based violence in accessing and utilizing WASH services through separate consultation of boys, girls, women and men including older people and those with disabilities.
• Ensure that girls, boys, women and men including older people and those with disabilities have access to appropriate and safe WASH services.
• Ensure that girls, boys, women and men including older people and those with disabilities have access to feedback & complaint mechanism (or any culturally appropriate two-way communication mechanism) so that corrective actions can address their protection and assistance needs.
•  Monitor and evaluate safe and equitable access and use of WASH services in WASH projects.
• Give priority to girls (particularly adolescents) and women’s participation in consultation process.
•  Make sure, the WASH assistance not to be harmful for the users.
•  Liaise and work closely with gender and protection focal point persons at National level to ensure partners at regional level incorporate and operationalize the joint WASH Cluster & GBV Sub-cluster “WASH GBV checklist” in their response/projects.