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IWC wins two Water for Women Research Awards

The Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has announced that the International WaterCentre (IWC) has won two of four new Research Awards under the Water for Women Fund. The two Research Awards, valued at AUD $1.3 million, will fund two IWC-led research projects over the next two years.

The first project will explore models of sustainable behaviour change for infant faeces management, with research to be undertaken in the Solomon Islands. Research partners include Griffith University, the Solomon Islands National University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The second project will examine how the private sector can contribute to leveraging and supporting safe water and sanitation in industries, communities and households, with sites including locations in Indonesia and Fiji. The primary research partner for both projects is Griffith University.

‘This is a fantastic achievement for IWC,’ said Mark Pascoe, CEO of IWC. ‘Last year we were awarded a research grant under the Water for Women Fund. This project is currently underway, with Dr Cara Beal from Griffith University as the Principal Researcher. It’s exploring how civil society organisations and governments can better enable rural community-based water management in the Pacific, in order to improve SDG6 outcomes.’

‘To be awarded two more new Research Awards under the Water for Women Fund speaks highly to our relationship with DFAT, our subject expertise, our connections and understanding of the region, and our track record for the quality of work we consistently deliver.’

Professor Andrew Smith, Pro Vice Chancellor (Sciences) at Griffith University echoed Mr Pascoe’s sentiments. ‘This is excellent news; these two new projects will have lasting impacts for the regions concerned.’

 The Research Awards are part of a $10.6 million Research Component associated with DFAT’s Water for Women Fund, which supports civil organisations to implement gender and socially inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) solutions in South and Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The flagship Water for Women Fund program commenced on 14 December 2017. It will invest AUD $110.6 million over five years up to December 2022, to improve the health, gender equality and well-being of Asian and Pacific communities through inclusive and sustainable WASH projects. The Fund is managed by GHD on behalf of DFAT.

 

About the author: Brett Richards is the Marketing and Communications Director at the International WaterCentre.

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