Capacity Need Assessment and Capacity Development Plan

Objective:

Capacity Need Assessment and Capacity Development Plan

About Project 
Momentum has established a Long-Term Agreement (LTA) with UNICEF Pakistan to provide technical expertise in enhancing the enabling environment for the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector. This partnership focuses on several critical areas aimed at aligning WASH policies and strategies with global standards and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation.

Key activities under this agreement include:

  1. Policy Revision and Alignment: Momentum plays a pivotal role in revising existing provincial WASH-related policies and strategies to ensure they are aligned with SDG targets and human rights principles regarding water and sanitation. This involves updating policies to meet international benchmarks and promoting equitable access to water and sanitation services.
  2. WASH Sector Reviews and Tools Application: Momentum facilitates the WASH Joint Sector Review at national and provincial levels, utilizing tools such as the WASH Bottleneck Analysis Tool (WASHBAT) and SDG 6 Costing Tools. These tools help identify barriers to progress and enable efficient planning and resource allocation within the WASH sector, ensuring institutions are better equipped to meet their targets.
  3. Strategic Development and Visioning: The organization collaborates with key stakeholders, including government departments and political leaders, to develop strategic visions for the WASH sector at both provincial and national levels. This includes drafting WASH Sector Master Plans that guide the long-term development of water and sanitation services, ensuring sustainability and alignment with broader development goals.
  4. WASH Sector Status Assessment: Momentum conducts comprehensive assessments of the WASH sector within provinces. These assessments involve reviewing policy frameworks, analyzing available data, evaluating resource allocation and expenditure, and assessing the operational environment. A key aspect of this work is ensuring equity in resource distribution and access to services across different regions.
  5. Capacity Needs Assessment and Development Plans: Momentum assesses the capacity needs of federal and provincial WASH departments and service providers. Based on these assessments, the organization develops capacity development plans and business plans for urban utilities. These plans are crucial for achieving the objectives outlined in the WASH Sector Master Plans.
  6. Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy: The organization facilitates consultative workshops and meetings with WASH sector stakeholders, including government officials and political leaders. Through these engagements, Momentum advocates for the adoption of best practices and the implementation of policies that support sustainable WASH services.
  7. Documentation and Knowledge Sharing: Momentum documents case studies and best practices for the government, ensuring that successful approaches are shared and replicated. Additionally, the organization conducts budget and expenditure analysis, providing insights that inform more effective and efficient use of resources in the WASH sector.

This partnership with UNICEF Pakistan is part of a broader global effort under the UNICEF WASH Enabling Environment Programme, which aims to strengthen the frameworks, policies, and capacities needed to achieve universal access to water and sanitation. Through its technical contributions and strategic guidance, Momentum supports the creation of a robust enabling environment for WASH, contributing to the global mission of ensuring that everyone has access to safe and sustainable

Services Provided:

Momentum successfully conducted a comprehensive capacity needs assessment for the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) in Pakistan, supported by UNICEF. This assessment aimed to evaluate the institutional structure, human resource capabilities, and financial resources of the WASH cell within the MoCC. Through a meticulous process involving external environment scanning, secondary data review, key informant interviews, and a consultative workshop, Momentum identified key areas for capacity development. The outcome was a detailed Capacity Development Plan for 2020-2030, designed to enhance the WASH cell’s ability to meet its mandate and contribute effectively to achieving WASH-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

  1. External Environment Scanning and Secondary Data Review: Analyzed the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and ecological environments (PESTLE analysis) relevant to the WASH sector, identifying trends and significant correlations affecting the WASH cell.
  2. Task/Business Environment Scanning: Reviewed secondary data on the WASH sector, focusing on elements related to the organizational environment within the concerned provincial units and stakeholders associated with the MoCC.
  3. Preparation of HR Capacity Assessment Tools: Based on the secondary data analysis, HR capacity assessment tools were developed to evaluate the governance, institutional structure, operational capacity, and sustainability of the WASH cell.
  4. Consultation with UNICEF: Engaged in meetings with relevant UNICEF personnel to present and finalize the HR capacity assessment tools, ensuring they effectively measured the required aspects of the WASH cell’s capabilities.
  5. Primary Data Collection: Developed a data collection plan and conducted key informant interviews with stakeholders, including officials from the MoCC, UNICEF, and provincial WASH focal points, to gather insights into the HR capacity needs of the WASH cell.
  6. Consultative Workshop: Organized a workshop with stakeholders from various departments and organizations to validate collected data and achieve consensus on the HR capacity development plan for the WASH cell.
  7. Triangulation of Data: Combined insights from secondary research, HR capacity assessment, and the consultative workshop to draft a comprehensive HR Capacity Development Plan for the WASH cell.
  8. Finalization and Submission of Plan: Finalized the HR Capacity Development Plan based on stakeholder feedback and submitted it to the MoCC and UNICEF for implementation.

The successful completion of the capacity needs assessment and the formulation of a robust Capacity Development Plan for the WASH cell highlight Momentum’s commitment to strengthening institutional frameworks within the Ministry of Climate Change. This initiative not only aligns with the broader objectives of improving water and sanitation governance but also equips the MoCC with the necessary tools to address future challenges in the WASH sector. The finalized plan provides a strategic roadmap that will guide the Ministry’s efforts over the next decade, ensuring that Pakistan advances steadily towards its SDG commitments in water and sanitation.

Project Team:

Dr. Muhammad Saleem
Ghulam Shabbir
Ms Fatima Shafqat