Water and sanitation systems, community management and promotion of local development plans with the strengthening of institutions
The programme Drinking Water and Sanitation in Rural and Indigenous Areas of Panama With an Emphasis on Sector Governance (PAN-008-M) was completed in 2021. It is part of the Fund’s multilateral portfolio, implemented in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), and the results include the completion of 23 water projects in rural and indigenous communities in the Emberá-Wounaan, Guna de Madugandí and Guna Yala regions. In addition, the Rural Aqueduct Management Boards (JAAR) were strengthened, as well as the Ministry of Health (MINSA) through the Directorate of the Drinking Water and Sewage Sub-Sector (DISAPAS) and through the creation of the Drinking Water and Regional Sanitation Works Departments (DAPOS-R). The intervention focused particularly on an intercultural approach that integrated participatory planning into the development of the programme itself, considering the indigenous worldview of water. Contributions to the sector include strategic dialogue with the country to prioritise indigenous communities within sectoral policies, gender mainstreaming and institutional strengthening.
On the other hand, the programme Drinking Water and Sanitation in Rural and Indigenous Areas of Panama With an Emphasis on Local Management (PAN-009-B) is still underway and is scheduled to end in December 2023. This action is being carried out by DISAPAS, part of the Ministry of Health, and is expected to improve water and sanitation coverage in the area and help strengthen the management capacity of the Rural Aqueduct Administration Boards (JAAR), indigenous Regional Committees and Local Development processes.
These two programmes were implemented in indigenous regions and isolated rural areas where project implementation is highly complex, and both have served to target these underserved communities. As a challenge to continue the work, it is worth highlighting the strengthening of the institutional framework in charge of water and sanitation in rural areas, which is currently the Ministry of Health (MINSA).
On the other hand, the Programme for the Participatory Elaboration and Dissemination of the National Guide for the Selection of Wastewater Treatment Technologies (PAN-010-B) is underway, with a donation of 125,000 euros from the Fund, the main objective of which is to contribute to the reimplementation of the National Drinking Water and Sanitary Sewage Policy of the Republic of Panama 2017-2030. This programme reflects the Fund’s efforts to support the institutional strengthening of our partner countries
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El Fondo de Cooperación para Agua y Saneamiento (FCAS) de la Cooperación Española ha sido premiado por la Alianza Mundial de Asociaciones de Operadores de Agua (GWOPA) -una iniciativa de ONU Habitat-, por el proyecto ‘Escuelas de lideresas’, implementado en Panamá y Nicaragua para favorecer la incorporación de las mujeres a puestos de gestión y decisión sobre los sistemas de agua y saneamiento.
