From 'emergency response coordination' to 'humanitarian protection': The role and activities of the Emergency Water and Sanitation-Health (EWASH) committee

Abstract

International agencies, international non-government organizations (NGOs) and local NGOs all play a significant role in providing water and public health services in Palestine. Some also do much more, but this is infrequently recognized. Some agencies complement the activities of the governmental Palestinian Authority (PA) agencies in response, advocate for policy change or implementation, and serve in a civil society role: One example of the inter-relation of these various roles is the Emergency Water and Sanitation- Health (EWASH) Committee. The EWASH Committee brings together the resources and representation from the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), UN Agencies, Palestinian and international NGOS. Initially, the EWASH Committee enhanced NGO response capacities through coordinating activities and information flows between geographically and organizationally disparate players. However, as the needs of the situation have changed it has also engaged as a 'humanitarian protection' agency - i.e. an agency challenging the Palestinian ministries to take up their responsibilities, and, when the need is beyond the state's resources or scope, providing an opportunity for other (non PA) agencies to fill the gaps. In taking up this role as a 'protection agency' the EWASH Committee has developed beyond its original role as an information-clearing house to a position within civil society where it both represented social interests and facilitates the work of Palestinian government agencies © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.