Africa-Press – Eswatini. In a bid to improve the health and well-being of Emaswati through better access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services, the Government of Eswatini and UNICEF have launched a critical project to strengthen regulatory frameworks in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector.
On Monday, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF, hosted a sensitization workshop on the WASHREG methodology—a globally recognized approach aimed at fortifying governance and institutional capacity in the water and sanitation sector.
The initiative, fully supported by UNICEF, seeks to advance Eswatini’s commitment to sustainable development and public health through enhanced legal and regulatory mechanisms. It comes at a time when regulatory gaps, enforcement limitations, and policy fragmentation have posed challenges to effective service delivery in the WASH sector.
The WASHREG project will unfold in three strategic phases:
Phase 1: Regulatory Assessment – This phase entails a detailed review of Eswatini’s current WASH regulatory framework, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to modernize and harmonize laws and guidelines.
Phase 2: Stakeholder Engagement – Informed by the assessment, this stage will bring together key players across the WASH ecosystem—from government officials to NGOs and community leaders—to validate findings and co-design policy solutions.
Phase 3: Strategic Action Planning – The final phase will produce a roadmap of actionable reforms, capacity-building strategies, and regulatory tools to support effective WASH service delivery.
Speaking at the event, officials emphasized the importance of regulation in ensuring equity, safety, and sustainability in the provision of water and sanitation services.
The project comes at a pivotal moment as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy is currently reviewing the Water Act and the National Water Policy, setting the stage for comprehensive reforms. The WASHREG initiative will directly feed into this process, providing data-driven recommendations and international best practices to inform the review.
By bolstering regulation and governance, the project aims to empower institutions, improve service delivery, and ensure that all Emaswati—especially those in underserved communities—have access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities.
UNICEF and its partners expressed confidence that the project will help build a healthier, more resilient Eswatini for generations to come.
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