Cross Cutting Issues

‘’Women play an essential role in the management of natural resources, including soil, water, forests and energy and often have a profound traditional and contemporary knowledge of the natural world around them’’ (World Bank).However, attention needs to be paid on the differential cause and effect of environmental degradation on men and women; and importantly, the role of women as agents of change in mitigation and adaptation to the changing environment. It is very true that men and women use resources differently and have different roles in society. However, in order to be effective, strategies to preserve and sustain the environment should pay close attention to the impact of the disparities between women and men’s access to environmental and natural resources and opportunities.

The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and the water and environment sector in general is increasingly prioritizing governance activities through its Good Governance Working Group. This year, the sector has prioritized the development of a good governance indicator to be used in measuring and monitoring of processes the sector undergoes in service delivery. The Ministry has further prioritized
awareness on governance in the sector to increase the general appreciation and understanding of governance to all sector actors, and have a common understanding of the governance principles and their applicability in the sector. This has all aimed at increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of water service provision through increased appreciation and implementation of good governance practices.

Development of this Uganda National Sanitation Market Strategy for Basic Sanitation (NSMS) would
not have been possible without the guidance and support of Madame Julian Kyomuhangi
(Commissioner, Environmental Health Division), David Mukama (Programme Manager, Uganda
Sanitation Fund), Martha Naigaga (Sanitation Coordinator, Ministry of Water and Environment), Sam
Mutono (Chairperson, National Sanitation Working Group (NSWG)), Shiva Narain Singh (WASH
Manager, UNICEF), and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. The market-based sanitation sub-committee
of the NSWG was closely involved in developing the strategy from the initial stages of formative
research design and planning to the validation of research results and the development of the key
intervention themes.