Consultant - Social Charter Developer at Chemonics International

The Project

• The USAID Lagos Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Activity (LUWASH) is a $44 million Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activity. LUWASH will increase the availability, quality and use of safe water and sanitation services and improve the governance and sustainable management of associated sector institutions in Lagos, Nigeria.
• Through an integrated, market-based approach, LUWASH will work across the value chain of WASH services to bolster supply and manage demand within a strengthened framework of sector governance, financing, and regulated services.
• The activity aims to catalyze sector transformation and generate WASH service improvements for at least 4 million people in low-income communities and build a foundation for continued progress beyond LUWASH.

The Position

• The Lagos Urban Water and Sanitation, Hygiene Project (LUWASH) funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is currently seeking the services of a short-term 18 consultant for the development of a conceptual social charter for Lagos Water and Sanitation.
• This short-term service of 18 days within the month of August 2023 is to enable LUWASH in partnership with other stakeholders facilitate a Lagos Water and Sanitation Social Charter setting out clear expectations and standards for service delivery and shared responsibilities for protecting communities and the state’s water resources.
• The role will be based in Lagos state and the consultant will report directly to the Governance and Regulatory Lead (GRL) under the overall supervision of the Chief of Party (COP). The consultant will be allowed to work remotely on an agreed specified timeframe, and need to be available in the field and office as may be required by LUWASH.

Background

• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Lagos Urban WASH Activity (LUWASH) will implement activities focused on strengthening governance, increasing accountability, and improving financial and technical capabilities of public water utilities and private sector providers.
• The LUWASH goal is to increase the availability, quality and use of safe water and sanitation services and improve thegovernance and sustainable management of associated sector institutions in Lagos.
• By working across multiple actors at varying levels of government, governance, and community engagement, LUWASH will tackle the profound and entrenched challenges faced by the Lagos WASH sector. Strategic deployment of rehabilitation funds and grants will further stimulate virtuous cycles of service improvements.
• Explosive population growth has long overwhelmed the capacity of Lagos WaterCorporation (LWC) to provide sufficient and reliable services, leading to fragmented water service delivery from a range of utility, community, and private service providers while providing limited choices and little accountability.
• A lack of regulation across the sector and no centralized sanitation services compounds these challenges, posing risks to public health and water resources. LWC is unable to meet the needs of existing customers, let alone expand service provision city-wide.
• Public provision and regulation of sanitation services is essentially non-existent. We will work in parallel streams to deliver rapid service improvement on the ground, while undertaking substantive and progressive institutional strengthening to ensure sustainable, equitable improvement beyond LUWASH.
• Our overarching implementation approach comprises three integrated approaches: A market systems approach to strengthen supply and demand by considering interconnected rules (policy and governance), supporting functions (finance and capacity), and strengthened supply and demand required for sustainable WASH access.

The Assignment

• This assignment will focus mainly on consultation with stakeholders including community groups, government agencies (political and technocratic leadership) including LWC in transition, LSWMO, LASWARCO, and other organizations involved in water management to inform the definition of the scope of the water and sanitation social charter, in particular the key issues and concerns related to water in the community and prioritizing the necessary goals and objectives of the charter.

Scope

• The assignment will entail reviewing selected water and sanitation charter of other countries (mostly sub-Saharan Africa) to inform a concept for the Lagos water and sanitation social charter as LUWASH considers it fundamental to the sustainability of the sector.
• This will entail engagement with various sector stakeholders to review the draft concept and agree on an appropriate model that can be operationalize in the State.

Specific Tasks
The assignment will focus on an in-depth review of water and sanitation social charter of other countries (mostly sub-Saharan) and other follow-up f tasks as follows:

• Conduct desk review of the concepts of water and sanitation charter of other countries (mainly sub-Sahara) and advise on their applicability to the Lagos context.
• Engage with targeted sector institutions in Lagos (ministries of; energy and mineral resources, environment, and water resources, and LWC, LASWARCO, and LSWMO) to generate information that will enhance the conceptualization of the charter.
• Organize stakeholders according to their roles and responsibilities in the business of water and sanitation services in preparation for different levels of engagement as may be guided by the LUWASH Team.
• Work with key stakeholders to create the framework for the negotiation of a Lagos Water and Sanitation Social Charter.
• Using a participatory planning process, develop a range of adaptation strategies for different stakeholders, including government, WASH service providers, civil society, and private sector partners to develop the Lagos WASH Social Charter.
• Submit findings of the comparative analysis to LUWASH, indicate preferred model(s) with justification (s) in order of ranking (could be hybrid). This should include content for online platform, and proposed roll-out plan and a strategy for operationalizing the charter including appropriate governance modalities.
• Present a draft model of the preferred charter to a wide range of sector stakeholders for comments and input.
• Update the preferred draft final model based on comments and inputs from stakeholders and share with LUWASH.
• In collaboration with LUWASH personnel, identify a reform champion in LASWARCO (Lead Agency) who will act as contact person to ensure that the consensus and participation achieved through the charter are kept alive and are self-sustaining.

Expected Deliverables
The following are the expected deliverables:

• Inception report detailing methodology and tools including a well-defined work plan and resources requirements.
• Draft report of findings of comparative reviews and analysis of the various country’s (sub-Saharan Africa) water and sanitation social charter suggesting preferred model (s) for Lagos. This will include proposed contents for the online platform, and a proposed roll-out plan for operationalization of the selected concept.
• Report of stakeholders’ engagements including comments and input provided. The comments and input from stakeholders’ workshop will be used to update the draft final report. Different levels of stakeholders’ commitment would be drafted and agreed in a consolidated text.
• Draft final report of the preferred Lagos State water and sanitation social charter concept including signed commitments from the different stakeholders.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced University Degree in Political Science, Sociology, Governance or any related field.
• At least 10 years of working experience in the field of water and sanitation governance.
• Experience in corporatizing public owned enterprises.
• Experience of development of similar charter is of significant advantage.
• Strong Communication and ICT skills including use of social media, with extensive experience of development of knowledge management products.
• Experience as a WASH corporate/ business-oriented practitioner.
• Experience in Public, Private, Partnership initiatives.
• Good knowledge of, and experience in gender and inclusion related activities.
• Proven experience in organizing high level meetings/ engagements and dealing with diverse water related multi-sectoral stakeholders.
• Proven experience in drafting social contracts in urban water and sanitation related context is of significant advantage.
• Experience in liaising with a broad spectrum of senior management in public
• service and administration.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to coordinate input from a variety of actors.
• Excellent analytical writing skills in English languages.