The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia

Ted Scanlon, Obinna Paul Uguru, Tahseen Jafry, Blessings Chinsinga, Peter Mvula, Joseph Chunga, Lilian Mukuka Zimba, Mwansa Mwape, Lucy Nyundo, Brian Mwiinga, Kevin Chunga

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    Abstract

    Access to water in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to be a challenge to the extent that there are more people without access to water in 2015 than in 1990. This indicates that current approaches to water provision have been ineffective. Governments have failed to provide a structure, mechanisms or approaches that guarantee water for ALL, resulting in a vacuum which has been ‘filled’ by a number of social actors (NGOs, Faith Based Organisations, Donors). This paper examines the social actors involved in water access and provision in Malawi and Zambia, analysing the existing methods and approaches used by them in the sector. It seeks increased understanding of the contributions and the nature of influence of each social actor group. This was achieved by collecting data on socialactors through a combination of methods: focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and workshops. Social actor analyses of the data shaped the findings. The findings indicate that water provision is multifaceted requiring improved coordination and cooperation among social actors to streamline and focus on the provision of for ALL. It draws attention to the need for Governments to take a leading role by facilitating long term investment in the sector and promoting initiatives which incorporate the right to water access. It concludes that in order to achieve universal access to water, a new perception of rights and responsibilities is vital in communities, donors, NGOs and the public sector as one step towards reducing the number of people without water in the future.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)25–36
    Number of pages12
    Journal Water Resources and Rural Development
    Volume8
    Early online date3 Oct 2016
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 2016

    Fingerprint

    Malawi
    Zambia
    social actor
    water
    evidence
    non-governmental organization
    rights and responsibilities
    group discussion
    faith
    guarantee
    public sector
    interview

    Keywords

    • human rights
    • community
    • Sub-Saharan Africa
    • water access

    Cite this

    Scanlon, T., Uguru, O. P., Jafry, T., Chinsinga, B., Mvula, P., Chunga, J., ... Chunga, K. (2016). The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia. Water Resources and Rural Development, 8, 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wrr.2016.08.001
    Scanlon, Ted ; Uguru, Obinna Paul ; Jafry, Tahseen ; Chinsinga, Blessings ; Mvula, Peter ; Chunga, Joseph ; Zimba, Lilian Mukuka ; Mwape, Mwansa ; Nyundo, Lucy ; Mwiinga, Brian ; Chunga, Kevin. / The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia. In: Water Resources and Rural Development. 2016 ; Vol. 8. pp. 25–36.
    @article{c9fe62dc1b2b4ca9ade6077339251cba,
    title = "The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia",
    abstract = "Access to water in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to be a challenge to the extent that there are more people without access to water in 2015 than in 1990. This indicates that current approaches to water provision have been ineffective. Governments have failed to provide a structure, mechanisms or approaches that guarantee water for ALL, resulting in a vacuum which has been ‘filled’ by a number of social actors (NGOs, Faith Based Organisations, Donors). This paper examines the social actors involved in water access and provision in Malawi and Zambia, analysing the existing methods and approaches used by them in the sector. It seeks increased understanding of the contributions and the nature of influence of each social actor group. This was achieved by collecting data on socialactors through a combination of methods: focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and workshops. Social actor analyses of the data shaped the findings. The findings indicate that water provision is multifaceted requiring improved coordination and cooperation among social actors to streamline and focus on the provision of for ALL. It draws attention to the need for Governments to take a leading role by facilitating long term investment in the sector and promoting initiatives which incorporate the right to water access. It concludes that in order to achieve universal access to water, a new perception of rights and responsibilities is vital in communities, donors, NGOs and the public sector as one step towards reducing the number of people without water in the future.",
    keywords = "human rights, community, Sub-Saharan Africa, water access",
    author = "Ted Scanlon and Uguru, {Obinna Paul} and Tahseen Jafry and Blessings Chinsinga and Peter Mvula and Joseph Chunga and Zimba, {Lilian Mukuka} and Mwansa Mwape and Lucy Nyundo and Brian Mwiinga and Kevin Chunga",
    note = "Acceptance date from journal webpage AAM:12m embargo Exception email in SAN ^Exception valid (library exception review, October 2018); lead author at GCU at submission then left. Update: article has been made free to read on the journal webpage as author awarded prize",
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    Scanlon, T, Uguru, OP, Jafry, T, Chinsinga, B, Mvula, P, Chunga, J, Zimba, LM, Mwape, M, Nyundo, L, Mwiinga, B & Chunga, K 2016, 'The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia', Water Resources and Rural Development, vol. 8, pp. 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wrr.2016.08.001

    The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia. / Scanlon, Ted; Uguru, Obinna Paul; Jafry, Tahseen; Chinsinga, Blessings ; Mvula, Peter ; Chunga, Joseph; Zimba, Lilian Mukuka; Mwape, Mwansa; Nyundo, Lucy ; Mwiinga, Brian; Chunga, Kevin.

    In: Water Resources and Rural Development, Vol. 8, 11.2016, p. 25–36.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

    TY - JOUR

    T1 - The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia

    AU - Scanlon, Ted

    AU - Uguru, Obinna Paul

    AU - Jafry, Tahseen

    AU - Chinsinga, Blessings

    AU - Mvula, Peter

    AU - Chunga, Joseph

    AU - Zimba, Lilian Mukuka

    AU - Mwape, Mwansa

    AU - Nyundo, Lucy

    AU - Mwiinga, Brian

    AU - Chunga, Kevin

    N1 - Acceptance date from journal webpage AAM:12m embargo Exception email in SAN ^Exception valid (library exception review, October 2018); lead author at GCU at submission then left. Update: article has been made free to read on the journal webpage as author awarded prize

    PY - 2016/11

    Y1 - 2016/11

    N2 - Access to water in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to be a challenge to the extent that there are more people without access to water in 2015 than in 1990. This indicates that current approaches to water provision have been ineffective. Governments have failed to provide a structure, mechanisms or approaches that guarantee water for ALL, resulting in a vacuum which has been ‘filled’ by a number of social actors (NGOs, Faith Based Organisations, Donors). This paper examines the social actors involved in water access and provision in Malawi and Zambia, analysing the existing methods and approaches used by them in the sector. It seeks increased understanding of the contributions and the nature of influence of each social actor group. This was achieved by collecting data on socialactors through a combination of methods: focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and workshops. Social actor analyses of the data shaped the findings. The findings indicate that water provision is multifaceted requiring improved coordination and cooperation among social actors to streamline and focus on the provision of for ALL. It draws attention to the need for Governments to take a leading role by facilitating long term investment in the sector and promoting initiatives which incorporate the right to water access. It concludes that in order to achieve universal access to water, a new perception of rights and responsibilities is vital in communities, donors, NGOs and the public sector as one step towards reducing the number of people without water in the future.

    AB - Access to water in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to be a challenge to the extent that there are more people without access to water in 2015 than in 1990. This indicates that current approaches to water provision have been ineffective. Governments have failed to provide a structure, mechanisms or approaches that guarantee water for ALL, resulting in a vacuum which has been ‘filled’ by a number of social actors (NGOs, Faith Based Organisations, Donors). This paper examines the social actors involved in water access and provision in Malawi and Zambia, analysing the existing methods and approaches used by them in the sector. It seeks increased understanding of the contributions and the nature of influence of each social actor group. This was achieved by collecting data on socialactors through a combination of methods: focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and workshops. Social actor analyses of the data shaped the findings. The findings indicate that water provision is multifaceted requiring improved coordination and cooperation among social actors to streamline and focus on the provision of for ALL. It draws attention to the need for Governments to take a leading role by facilitating long term investment in the sector and promoting initiatives which incorporate the right to water access. It concludes that in order to achieve universal access to water, a new perception of rights and responsibilities is vital in communities, donors, NGOs and the public sector as one step towards reducing the number of people without water in the future.

    KW - human rights

    KW - community

    KW - Sub-Saharan Africa

    KW - water access

    U2 - 10.1016/j.wrr.2016.08.001

    DO - 10.1016/j.wrr.2016.08.001

    M3 - Article

    VL - 8

    SP - 25

    EP - 36

    ER -

    Scanlon T, Uguru OP, Jafry T, Chinsinga B, Mvula P, Chunga J et al. The role of social actors in water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from Malawi and Zambia. Water Resources and Rural Development. 2016 Nov;8:25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wrr.2016.08.001

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