Stakeholder Dialogue for Women of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town (GIT)

4^th January 2009

The GWP stakeholder dialogue was held at the National Institute of Management (NIM) in collaboration with Women and Water Network (WWN). It was attended by 39 women of GIT, from different sectors of society who formed a GIT WWN electing a President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Programme Secretary and Coordinator. An Executive Committee was elected for two years: 

As a result of the decisions taken at this dialogue WWNs have also been formed in the 13 Union Councils (UCs) of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town and the work of water and sanitation rehabilitation and advocacy in schools taken over by GIT WWN.

Stakeholder Dialogue for Elected Representatives of Local Government in GIT

14th January 2009

The GWP stakeholder dialogue with the Elected Representative of Local Government in GIT was held at National Institute of Management to develop programmes for each UC in terms of how they can use IWRM principles to make allocation for and carry out improved water management using their own budgets and resources.

Nazims, Naib Nazims, Councilors and administrators of the 10 Union Councils (UCs) in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town were familiarized with GIT AWP Programme and they gave their commitment in acting to support and implement these programmes. They also agreed to work with Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) to identify the places where water is being wasted.

Each UC was provided with a resource pack of material to facilitate their work on water conservation and management.

Stakeholder Dialogue for Media of GIT

29^th January 2009

The GWP stakeholder dialogue familiarized the media with the concept of IWRM and their role and responsibility in creating public awareness on water conservation and improved management. Participants were given media packs which included several publications of Global Water Partnership (GWP), KWP Newsletters, Karachi ’s Water Facts, KWP Water Conservation Guidelines and a DVD/CD on Water Conservation (with documentary and Public Service Announcements in English and Urdu). The dialogue was attended by 45 electronic and print media representatives, some of whom are famous television and radio personalities.  

Stakeholder Dialogue for Town Administrators of GIT

21^st February 2009

The GWP stakeholder dialogue was held with the Town Administrators of GIT at the Women’s’ Sports Complex. The local government of GIT picked up the venue costs for this dialogue. The dialogue was attended by 27 participants of whom 21 were administrators from different departments of GIT, four were members of GIT WWN and two were elected representatives of GIT AWP. This dialogue was held to familiarize administrators from education, health and related services with the GIT AWP programme and to seek their commitment in acting to support this programme. These administrators were alerted to their role and responsibility in promoting water conservation and improved water management and sanitation, particularly in public schools. 

The process of bringing water and sanitation issues of public schools to the UC level was streamlined and the WWN became responsible for ensuring that once their water and sanitation problems are addressed by the UC officers, headmistresses will continue to maintain and monitor water and sanitation facilities in their schools.

KWP agreed to provide information, awareness and resource materials to all public school administrators of GIT and to facilitate their interaction with Divisional Education Officer and Additional District Officer of GIT.

Stakeholder Dialogue for Academia of GIT

27^th February 2009

The GWP stakeholder dialogue was held with the collaboration of Karachi University (KU), and attended by university departmental heads, professors, graduate students and subject specialists from different relevant fields of study within Gulshan-e-Iqbal town.  Senior students were also invited as observers to prepare them for future dialogues with their respective institutions. It was held to obtain commitment of GIT higher education institutions (colleges and universities) to assist in research studies, and to develop and fine tune the technical and socio-economic basis of the solutions being designed and executed by GIT AWP as part of the KWP programme for this area.

The commitments arising from this dialogue have been tremendous:

NED University of Engineering and Karachi University agreed to incorporate IWRM in their concerns and to distribute water guidelines of KWP through their students, sharing the cost of printing and distribution. They also agreed to conduct dialogues on behalf of KWP in their own departments and academic circles. NED will share reports on water consumption in different economic areas, measure the impact of the work of KWP and monitor and evaluate the KWP initiative as a result of this dialogue.  

National Institute of Management (NIM) offered to conduct courses/training for government officers on water management so that they would incorporate this knowledge in their decision-making processes. 

The Chemistry Department of Karachi University agreed to develop guidelines and methods of cleaning water at point of consumption (in households) and lessons and curriculum that include water conservation and water management. They agreed to conduct studies on the water table of Karachi and propose solutions on how to stabilize the water table.

The student of the Geography Department in Karachi University agreed to run awareness raising campaigns to support KWP, and develop and bridge the major gaps in terms of data. Department scholars agree to share a framework and methodology for dividing Karachi into different mega ecosystems and to develop separate plans for each ecosystem.  They also committed to collaborate with NED to monitor urban runoff in Karachi and to share this work with KWP and Karachi Water & S ewerage Board.

Students of the Agriculture Department in Karachi University decided to develop presentations and charts to raise awareness regarding water conservation amongst rural communities and to develop water saving guidelines in agriculture. They also committed to distributing KWP water saving guidelines to rural communities.

The Environmental Sciences department agreed to carry out water testing of different samples of water collected from across GIT and Karachi and to suggest low cost solutions such as solar water purification techniques.

The longer term objective of this engagement with academic institutions is the planning of new courses in university and college departments such that graduates are ready to work on issues of water security, water conservation and water management.