Environment & Urbanization

World leading environmental and urban studies journal

Urban climate resilience, water and sanitation: Improving multi-stakeholder collaboration in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Author(s): 
Sarder Shafiqul Alam, A T M Jahangir Alam, Sowmen Rahman

Publisher: 
Asian Cities Climate Resilience Working Paper Series 25

Pages: 
55

Year: 
2015

This paper attempts to identify a strategy for improving collaboration between stakeholders working in Dhaka City, Bangladesh to improve climate change resilience of the urban water and sanitation sector, with a focus on the urban poor.

The findings are derived from reviewing existing literature and consultations with 32 key informants and five focus group discussions representing low-income groups as well as other stakeholders (NGOs, government, academics). The analysis reveals that heavy rainfall, flooding, waterlogging and heatwaves are the major climatic impacts that affect the water supply, sanitation and health of informal settlement dwellers. Also, women are more vulnerable than men due to the lack of water supply and adequate sanitation facilities, particularly during floods and waterlogging conditions.

Around 35 NGOs, along with government bodies and the media, play key roles in improving the water and sanitation facilities of the urban poor. To improve the situation, NGOs sometimes collaboratively work with other partners but without considering a long-term strategy.

The paper argues that improving the situation will require a sustained effort from all stakeholders – including government, community members, community-based organizations, NGOs, media, donors, researchers and academics. The national government should play the lead role by formulating a strategic action plan in consultation with advisors, key personnel and other stakeholders. It should also be the responsibility of the government to ensure that stakeholders work according to the guidelines. Following a government-devised action plan, the private sector and NGOs will be able to develop more robust and effective partnerships.

 

Available at:

http://pubs.iied.org/10748IIED.html

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