Enugu State Parliamentary WASH Caucus

The Parliamentary WASH Caucus is an informal association of Members of Parliament who pursue a common legislative agenda: accelerated progress on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in at sub-national, national or international level. The Caucus will typically and centrally undertake activities in the legislature designed to promote WASH access including the consideration of new laws, stronger regulatory environments, and increased funding (from both domestic and international sources) for WASH services within their constituents. Other responsibilities of the WASH Caucus may include but not limited to educating and informing members of Parliament regarding the positive impact they can have on their state or country’s WASH coverage. The Caucus will also empower those legislators to collaborate with each other and their constituents to prioritize WASH investments that will make families, communities in the state and Nigeria, at large, healthier and stronger.
Considering the stark WASH statistics in Enugu State, Nigeria, Network of Water Rights Initiative (NEWARI) will be piloting the Parliamentary WASH Caucus in the state so as to end water poverty in the state by facilitating adequate WASH budgetary allocations and release, whilst strengthening the progress being made around WASH in environment, healthcare facilities, schools among other WASH-related sectors, in the state.
The Parliamentary WASH Caucuses is already active and succeeding in places such as in USA, Liberia and Uganda. The success stories provide much needed inspiration and confidence to pilot the structure in Enugu state, Nigeria.