On 3rd and 4th March 2026, the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), in partnership with WaterAid Zambia, conducted simultaneous two-day Training of Rights Holders workshops in Monze District (Southern Province) and Nkeyema District (Western Province). The sessions were delivered using a standardised curriculum, ensuring consistency in approach and outcomes across both districts. While media representatives observed the training in Monze, the Nkeyema workshop ran concurrently, reinforcing a unified framework for WASH social accountability across the two provinces.
These trainings form part of the broader project Strengthening Inclusive and Resilient WASH Accountability, a joint initiative aimed at addressing persistent gaps in transparency, participation, and responsiveness within Zambia’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector.
Despite ongoing investments, Zambia continues to face significant challenges in WASH service delivery. Approximately 32% of households lack access to basic water services, while 64% lack basic sanitation. These deficits disproportionately affect low-income and rural communities, particularly in provinces such as Southern and Western, where recurring droughts place additional strain on already fragile water systems.
While the 2026 national budget allocated K1.8 billion to WASH, this represents only 0.71% of total government expenditure and reflects a declining share relative to GDP. However, the challenge is not solely financial. A critical gap exists in accountability and information access. Communities often lack clarity on which WASH projects have been approved for their wards, whether funds have been disbursed, and who bears responsibility when services fail.
It is this disconnect between resource allocation and community awareness that the project directly seeks to address.
The project is implemented by JCTR, a faith-rooted organisation with over 35 years of experience in social accountability and public finance monitoring, in collaboration with WaterAid Zambia, an international organisation dedicated to improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. Structured across three phases, the initiative began with a rapid diagnostic and co-design process, followed by the development of a WASH Social Accountability Toolkit in both print and digital formats. The current phase focuses on validation, training, and piloting, culminating in joint action planning between communities and duty bearers.
The first day of training focused on grounding participants in the legal and conceptual foundations of accountability. Participants explored WASH as a basic right, alongside the roles and responsibilities of key duty bearers, including local authorities, district councils, and water utilities.
Central to the training was the introduction of the Community Score Card (CSC) approach, a participatory tool that enables communities to assess WASH service delivery. Using a structured scoring system (1–5 scale), participants learned how to evaluate service quality, compile findings, and present them during interface meetings where duty bearers are required to respond and agree on time-bound action plans. This process transforms community feedback into structured, evidence-based dialogue, fostering constructive engagement rather than adversarial confrontation.
The second day shifted focus to public finance tracking, with particular emphasis on the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which currently stands at K40 million per constituency annually. For many communities, CDF represents the most significant source of funding for local WASH infrastructure.
Participants were trained in the use of a five-part CDF Budget Tracker, enabling them to systematically document:
This tool converts what is often informal knowledge, speculation, or frustration into documented evidence, strengthening communities’ ability to engage with duty bearers on factual grounds.
In addition, participants were introduced to the Ward Development Committee (WDC) WASH Prioritisation Tool, which supports the development of evidence-based budget submissions. The training also covered how to facilitate formal interface meetings and how to escalate unresolved issues through structured administrative channels—from ward to constituency, district, and provincial levels—using signed action plans as verifiable evidence.
A defining feature of the training was its deliberate integration of Gender, Equity, and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles. Inclusion was not treated as an add-on but as a core design element of the methodology.
This included:
Women, youth, and persons with disabilities were not only included but were intentionally positioned as leaders in facilitating accountability processes within their communities.
Participants—comprising Ward Development Committee members, community monitors, and other local actors—left the training as Lead Trainers, equipped to cascade the knowledge and tools within their respective communities.
As part of the next phase, these Lead Trainers are expected to facilitate community-level social accountability exercises, applying the tools in real-world settings. The data generated from these activities will feed into the development of State of WASH Reports for both districts, providing a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of service delivery conditions.
The training and piloting of social accountability tools mark a critical step toward building more transparent, participatory, and responsive WASH systems in Monze and Nkeyema.
By equipping communities with the knowledge to understand their rights, track public resources, and engage constructively with duty bearers, the initiative strengthens the foundations of citizen-led accountability. At the same time, it creates structured pathways for dialogue and action, ensuring that identified challenges translate into tangible improvements in service delivery.
Ultimately, the process contributes to WaterAid Zambia’s broader objective of achieving equitable and sustainable access to WASH services. By grounding interventions in both institutional analysis and community voice, the project advances a model of governance that is not only technically effective but also socially responsive.
As implementation continues, the shared framework established across Southern and Western Provinces positions both districts to contribute to a growing body of evidence on how inclusive, community-driven accountability can transform the delivery of essential public services.
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"A just Zambian society guided by faith, where everyone enjoys the fullness of life".