Introduction

The Federation of Drinking Water and Sanitation Users Nepal (FEDWASUN) is a people based umbrella organization of drinking water and sanitation user’s groups in Nepal. It facilitates the provision of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to communities, advocates for water and sanitation rights (drinking water and sanitation for all and forever), brings people’s issues to the attention of policy makers and service providers, and promotes good governance in relation to both user’s committee/ groups and service providers.

FEDWASUN was established in 2004 as a representative organization for drinking water and sanitation user's organizations of Nepal. Common forum among users committees was felt even before 2004 and district level federation was formed in some districts in western and eastern regions. Rural water supply and sanitation policy 2004 opened the way to form a national wide federation for water sanitation users.  Objectives of FEDWASUN are to improve harmony between Users Committees/organization, to exchange knowledge and experiences, to develop inter relationship between local level and national level organization for right and benefit of the people, to maintain coordination for sustainability of safe water and sanitation services, to identify gap between policy and implementation and draw attention of government, to maintain cooperation between water and sanitation sector agencies and users organizations, to make users organization aware of all related rules and regulations and support them for capacity building.

FEDWASUN has already able to expand and establish its district chapters in 58 districts. Furthermore, approximately 4100 water and sanitation users’ committees (WSUCs) have already been registered under the FEDWASUN district/national networks and able to reach over 33,75,000 people (5,62,000 households ) and the process of registration and affiliation to FEDWASUN is ongoing with its established branches.

The National Policy on Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation- 2004, Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Strategic Work Plan- 2004 have widely acknowledged the need for a water users federation that could be helpful  to sustain, maintain  and independently monitoring and public auditing of the entire drinking water sector (both rural and urban) in Nepal.

The motto of the Federation is to assist the state in providing drinking water and sanitation “to all and forever” and also FEDWASUN advocating and lobbying with the policy makers/constituency member to recognize "Water & Sanitation as fundamental rights". Similarly to fulfill the MDG target by 2015 and national goal by 2017, FEDWASUN will have the crucial role to assist the state.

Vision
Civilized society will be formed with healthy people by universal access of safe drinking water, good sanitation and hygiene.

Mission
Provision of safe drinking water, good sanitation and hygiene will be guaranteed by effective participation of users in policy formation and implementation by common understanding for self reliance and sustainability.

Goal
To enhance the self-reliance capacity of Water and Sanitation User’s group to influence policy making, planning and decision making process through meaningful participation and to ensure sustainable Water and Sanitation capacity throughout Nepal.

Objectives
To empower and unify the users committee to protect, promote and fulfill the rights of water and sanitation for the sustainability and access of all people in WASH services by the means of advocacy. 

Core values

• Network based,
• Transparency,
• Democratic,
• Self reliance,
• Social justice and inclusion,
• Advocacy based,
• Commitment,
• Service oriented and volunteerialism, 
• Political impartiality.

Strategic Issues (Based on Strategy 2066-70 BS)

• Awareness, capacity development and institutional strengthening,
• Effective coordination and communication,
• Internal management and implementation,
• Empowerment and human resource development,
• District branch expansion network strengthening and utilization,
• Good governance,
• Advocacy,
• Social inclusion.

Strategic Objectives (Based on Strategy 2066-70 BS)

• FEDWASUN will expand it's network in 75 districts within 2070 BS and awareness will be build up on water, sanitation and hygiene issues in all of the districts,
• FEDWASUN will be established as the common institution of all of the users to identify and solve the problem by mobilization of different resources,
• FEDWASUN will be established as a common institution for advocating the issues related to water, sanitation and hygiene,
• FEDWASUN will be establish as a efficient organization regarding the management system,
• FEDWASUN will have sufficient human resource with the capacity of technical, managerial and legal aspects,
• Through effective means of communication and coordination FEDWASUN will establish own identification within all national and international stakeholders,
• The system of internal good governance will be developed and implemented,
• Foundation will be established for financial sustainability.

Strengths

• More than six years of experience in enhancing self-reliance capacity of water and sanitation users’ groups to influence policy making, planning and decision-making processes through meaningful participation.
• District branch of the organization in 52 districts with more than 3400 users committee covering 30,60,000 people of 5,10,000 h/h,
• Active district branch member in proposed districts,
• Successfully conducting the program with support of UNICEF, Water Aid, Concern Worldwide, Plan Nepal, SNV, RFWRMP (FINIDA), Action Aid, NEWAH, KIRDARC, NWSC and other organization,
• Close coordination and communication with ministries (MPPW, MLD, MOE), department (DWSS), Dolidar, Fund Board, district level governmental office and local governance body (DDC, VDC and Municipality),
• Close coordination and communication with stakeholders in district level

Organizational Structure		District Coverage Map