The WASH Sector Steering Committee is a voluntary group that meets every three months to facilitate, in collaboration with the Somalia Authorities, the coordination of WASH Sector interventions within the RDF. It reports to the CISS EXCOM for major decisions.

The Steering Committee will aim to hold twice yearly meetings in-country with representatives of all regions in Somalia.

Membership

The membership consists of the Chair and the Deputy Chair of the Sectoral (general) Committee plus three other representatives, preferably one from each of the CISS constituencies (1 UN, 1 donor, 1 NGO representative) and the WASH Sector Coordinator.

Conditions of membership

1. The membership is voluntarily but a commitment of a minimum of 12 months must be guaranteed.
2. Steering committee members will be nominated and elected/appointed by the members of the general sector committee based on the following criteria: Steering committee members must have sector specific technical qualifications, proven experience in programme management, and must be able to get technical back up from their organisations.
3. Members will show commitment to the coordination process (proved and fulfilled) through:

• Attending the Sector and the Steering committee meetings;
• Representation of organizational and technical viewpoints as well as personal viewpoints; and
• Willingness to participate in joint field missions when required;

5. Members will have an active commitment to represent all the organisations active in their constituencies; and
6. Members will be prepared to take an active role in assisting the WASH Coordinator in strengthening regional coordination by providing feedback from and to the regional coordination process.

Responsibilities

• Identify priority areas for best practice, discuss and agree on implementation of best practices in Somaliland, Puntland, and South Central Somalia
• Advocate for funding based on gaps and agreed best practices.
• Upon request of donor agencies, review project proposals (humanitarian and emergency interventions excluded) presented for funding to ensure consistency of the proposed interventions with the overall sector strategy and the identified priorities, evaluate the technical quality of the proposals (soundness of approach, feasibility and potential for sustainability) and eventual duplications with other ongoing projects or synergies with other interventions within the sector and across the sectors
• Encourage as much as possible integration, compatibility and complementarities in planning, implementation and monitoring by the various members.
• Support to policy development and setting of common sectoral standards and strategies in collaboration with Somali professionals and authorities
• Promote and facilitate the activities of the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) working group
• Develop annual work plans including quarterly work plans for the WASH coordinator; Monitor the implementation of the work plans on a quarterly
  basis.
• Outline main priorities to be addressed by the Sector Committee.
• Where possible, promote a coordinated and integrated area based (zonal/ regional/ district) WASH planning by field representatives with full Somali participation.
• Guide the process of data collection and sharing and management of sectoral information.
• Provide technical guidance and advice to CISS Executive Committee and Somalia Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) on sectoral matters.
• Promote adherence to and active participation in the coordination process of all implementing organisations, donors, Somali professionals and health authorities.
• Oversee and guide the disaster/emergency preparedness and response plan for the sector and its implementation.

WASH Sector Coordinator

With regard to the WASH Sector Coordinator, the committee undertakes the following functions:

• Assist the Secretariat in identifying a suitable candidate for the position of WASH Sector Coordinator.
• Guide the Sectoral Coordinator in the management of the Committee’s activities and directives and contribute to the development of the TOR.
• Together with the sector coordinator, advance main issues and topics to be discussed at the WASH Sector Coordination Committee meetings and ensure adequate follow up actions on decisions taken.