Do you work with local government officials in your WASH programming work? Do you wish a government official you work with would prioritise WASH? Want to learn some tips on how you may be able to nudge them in this direction?

What is the persona of the local government official you work with?

Are they:

A Super hero “I can make things better!”

A Would-be hero “I want to see first that it works out!”

A Laggard “I am not responsible for that!”

A Persistent Objector “I don’t want any change!”

Is your local government colleague a Would-be hero? (A Would-be hero is an official who is personally committed to providing services to local people but is constrained and thwarted by lack of resources and political support) If yes, look no further - WaterAid may have some useful resources for you to get them prioritising WASH!

WaterAid, WASH United, End Water Poverty, University of Technology in Sydney, UNICEF and the Rural Water Supply Network recently developed materials on how to market water and sanitation as a Human Right to local government.

These materials include a Pocket Guide (Basic thoughts and principles), a Manual (Each step explained) and The Journey (The process at a glance). Please see the attachments. You can also download the same materials in French or Spanish, and the printable rather than screen versions here .

Also, read more about the categorisation of local government officials according to the 4 above personas through taking a look at this blog on the WaterAid website.

We at WaterAid would love you to try out the materials and let us know your feedback by posting on this thread.

Got examples of local government pursuing access to sanitation using Human Rights discourse? Please also share your experience with SuSanA so that others can benefit!