IRC (organization)

In December 1968, under an agreement of the World Health Organization and the Government of the Netherlands, the WHO International Reference Center on Community Water Supply was established (abbreviated as IRC).{{Cite web |url = https://www.ircwash.org/resources/agreement-between-rijksinstituut-voor-drinkwatervoorziening-and-world-health-organization |title = Agreement between Rijksinstituut voor Drinkwatervoorziening and the World Health Organization for support to WHO International Reference Centre on Community Water Supply |author = WHO |accessdate= February 23, 2024 }}{{Cite web |url = https://www.uia.org/s/or/en/1100062822 |title = IRC Yearbook Profile |author = Union of International Associations |accessdate= September 7, 2017 }} IRC was then an annex of the Government Institute of Drinking Water Supply.First Annual Report, I.R.C, 1969, p.4 (Dutch: Rijksinstituut voor Drinkwatervoorziening, R.I.D, merged in RIVM in 1984). Apart from the relation with R.I.D, IRC established an advisory board that consisted of representatives of both national and international water supply sector organisations.{{Cite book | author = Trzyna, T. C., & Coan, E. V. | title = World Directory of Environmental Organisations | date = 2001 | pages = 105 | publisher = Routledge | isbn = 978-1-85383-794-4 | accessdate = September 7, 2017 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=odCNAQAAQBAJ&q=International+Reference+Centre+for+Community+Water+Supply+and+Sanitation++International+Reference+Centre+for+Community+Water+Supply+and+Sanitation+independent+foundation&pg=PA105 }} In 1970, IRC drafted its first five-year plan with three main objectives: provide knowledge, coordinate research, and stimulate a systematic approach to solve problems in the drinking water supply industry.{{Cite book | author =WHO International Reference Centre on Community Water Supply I.R.C. | title = Second Annual Report | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1970 }} In 1972 IRC's chemical engineer B.C.J. Zoeteman concluded a three-year research on the practicality of iodine and iodine components' disinfection in small water supplies with a research report,The suitability of iodine and iodine compounds as disinfectants for small water supplies, Zoeteman, B. C. (1972). which marked the initiation of IRC's Technical Paper (TP)series. In 1973, IRC held the "Bilthoven Meeting", joined by 31 international collaborating institutions. This meeting set working priorities for IRC such as developing appropriate water hygiene practices for better water supply quality.{{Cite book | author = Visscher, J. T. | title = Facilitating community water supply treatment: from transferring filtration technology to multi-stakeholder learning. | date = 2006 | pages = 14–17 | accessdate = September 7, 2017 | url = http://edepot.wur.nl/121780 }} Consequently, follow-up projects were planned and initiated.

In 1980, IRC became an independent foundation under the name International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply and Sanitation.{{Cite web |author=Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal |title=Goedkeuring van de wijziging van de statuten van de Stichting International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply and Sanitation (IRC) en intrekking van de Machtigingswet IRC nr. 3 |publisher=Lower House of Parliament |date=2005 |url=https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/dossier/33400-I/kst-30067-3.html |accessdate=September 7, 2017 }} (Abbreviated as IRC). In 1981, the IRC foundation was established through an Act of Dutch Parliament. Hans Van Damme became the Director of IRC, while Pier Santema became Chair of the newly constituted Governing Board.{{Cite book | author = Appleton, B. | title = WATERS a priority for life | date = 1994 }} In the meantime, the United Nations launched the International Drinking Water Decade, 1981–90, which led to changes in the scope and strategies of IRC. Due to the UN's initiative, IRC's role in international WASH knowledge dissemination was strengthened.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = Annual Report 1983 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1983 | pages = 7–8 }} In 1981, IRC published one of its most popular books, Small Communities Water Supplies .{{Cite web |author= West Bengal & Bangladesh Arsenic Crisis Information Centre |title=Arsenic Info in the Real World |url=http://bicn.com/acic/resources/realworld.htm |accessdate= September 7, 2017 }}{{Cite book |author1=Palaniappan, M. |author2=Lang, M. |author3=Gleick, P.H. | title = A Review of Decision-Making Support Tools in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Sector | publisher = The Pacific Institute | date = 2008 | pages = Appendix A–48 }} Between 1983 and 1985, IRC published two major publications on Slow Sand Filtration. The one published in 1985 was further distributed to the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the WRC Research Centre.{{Cite book | author = M.B. Pescod OBE | title = Slows sand filtration : a low cost treatment for water supplies in developing countries | date = 1985 }} IRC introduced a focus on gender issues in water, hygiene and sanitation sectors and published several documents on this topic, led by the 1985 publication Participation of Women in Water Supply and Sanitation: Roles and Realities.{{Cite web |author=Wakeman, W. |title=Gender Issues Sourcebook for Water and Sanitation Projects |publisher=UNDP-World Bank Water and Sanitation Program/PROWWESS |date=1995 |url=http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/300541468739317258/text/multi-page.txt |accessdate=2017-09-08 }} From the 1980s onwards, IRC started to provide consulting and advisory services. In 1987, IRC undertook a number of assignments from [https://www.government.nl/ministries/ministry-of-foreign-affairs/organisational-structure/directorates-general DGIS], Commission of the European Economic Community, DANIDA, UNDP, World Bank, UNICEF and WHO.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply and Sanitation | title = Annual Report 1987 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1987 }} In 1988, IRC changed its name from "International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply and Sanitation" to "International Water and Sanitation Centre", the abbreviation "IRC" stayed the same however.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = Annual Report 1988 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1987 }}

=== Years of change ===

In the foreword of IRC's 1991 annual report it says:

{{Blockquote|The world is changing rapidly, and the magnitude of these changes continues to grow.}}

In 1990, at a consultation in New Delhi, IRC presented two hands-on experiences of WASH sector knowledge dissemination.{{Cite web |title=Timeline: five decades of learning and work on water, sanitation and hygiene by IRC and partners |publisher=IRC |date=2008 |url=https://www.ircwash.org/resources/timeline-five-decades-work-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-irc |accessdate=2017-09-08 }} During the 1991 Global Consultation on Safe Water and Sanitation for the 1990s held in New Delhi, "community management" was brought up and soon became one of the guiding principles in IRC's work.{{Cite book | title = Background paper Global Consultation on Safe Water and Sanitation for the 1990s | location = New Delhi, India | date = 1990}} In the same year, IRC published its 28th technical paper, an approach to sustainable piped water supplies. By 1993, IRC possessed one of the "most comprehensive collections of low-cost water supply and sanitation literature" within the water sector.{{Cite web |url = http://guides.lib.unc.edu/c.php?g=8369&p=784118 |title = Grey Literature - Public Health - Libguides at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill |date = August 24, 2017 |accessdate = September 7, 2017 }}Twenty-fourth Annual Report, I.R.C, 1993, p.4{{Cite web |url = http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/supported-by/details/4 |title = RWSN Partners |accessdate = September 7, 2017 }}

In the 1990s, along with knowledge dissemination, IRC delivered advisory and evaluation services and training courses.{{Cite book|author=Lammerink, M.P.|title=Community Water Management, Strengthening community water management|date=1999|publisher=IIED London|pages=1|display-authors=etal}} In 1994, IRC delivered its training courses in English, French and Spanish at its headquarter in The Netherlands and other locations such as Kenya, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Colombia and India.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = Annual Report 1994 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1994 | pages = 24 }}

In 1996, after working for IRC for 27 years, Mr. Hans van Damme resigned from his position as director of IRC.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = Annual Report 1996 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1996 | pages = 1 }}

In the same year, the Governing Board commissioned an external evaluation of IRC. The main suggestion that came out of the evaluation was that IRC should make a clear distinction between profitable products and information dissemination.{{Cite book | author =Schulzberg, G., Sawyer, R. and Yansheng, M. | title = External evaluation of IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | date = 1996 }} Consequently, IRC defined its scope as "Better Water and Sanitation for a better Future", a new policy framework that was put forward in 1997.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = Annual Report 1997 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 1997 | pages = 1 }} Changes in technology also influenced IRC's knowledge dissemination. In 1996, IRC set up an intranet system and a World Wide Web page. The IRC website recorded 42,000 clicks between year 1996 and 1997. An average of 3,500 per month. A new IRC Bulletin was published on the Internet as well.

Stepping into the new millennium, IRC presented itself as a "capacity building" organisation to ensure "sustainable and economical" acquisition of WASH services for the world's poorest regions. After the second external evaluation in 2001, advocacy activities, institutional reforms and people-centred approaches were emphasised in IRC's daily operations.{{cite journal |last1=Woersem |first1= B.L.M. |last2=Manuel |first2= A.R. |date= 2001 |title= IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, assessment of its role and place within the sector: report of the appraisal team 1996-2000: report on request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs }} Thematic advocacy programmes witnessed a shift from water supply to policy issues, sanitation and hygiene, participatory methodologies and gender issues. In 2000, IRC supported the launch of the Gender and Water Alliance (GWA) and hosted the GWA Secretariat until 2005.{{Cite web |url = http://genderandwater.org/en/about-the-gender-and-water-alliance/our-approach/partners-of-gwa/irc-international-water-and-sanitation-centre-irc |title = Gender and Water Alliance |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }}{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre annual report 2000 | location = Delft, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 2001 | accessdate = February 9, 2018| url = https://www.ircwash.org/reports/annual-report-2000 }} Since the 1990s, IRC had worked with and supported WASH resource centre networks in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Honduras, Nepal and Uganda and documented their contribution to a learning and adaptive sector in 2013.{{Cite book | author = Da Silva Wells, C., Verhoeven, J. | title = Resource centre networks : contributing to a learning and adaptive WASH sector | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 2013 | accessdate = February 9, 2018| url = https://www.ircwash.org/resources/resource-centre-networks-contributing-learning-and-adaptive-wash-sector}}

IRC closed a number of long-term projects in 2002.{{Cite book | author = IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre | title = Annual Report 2002 | location = The Hague, The Netherlands | publisher = IRC | date = 2002 }} Reorganisation, again, was put as a top priority. In 2006, IRC cut off the statutory link with the Netherlands government through an Act of Parliament, and became an autonomous foundation.

In 2008, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded IRC two multi-year, multi-country grants{{Cite web |url = https://www.gatesfoundation.org/search#q/k=IRC%20International%20Water%20and%20Sanitation%20Centre |title = Gatesfoundation.org grants for IRC International water and Sanitation Centre |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }} for projects on life-cycle costing (WASHCost{{Cite web |url = https://www.ircwash.org/washcost |title = WASHCost |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }}) and models for sustainable rural water services (Triple-S{{Cite web |url = https://www.ircwash.org/projects/triple-s?tab=posts |title = Triple-S ((Sustainable Services at Scale) |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }}). These two projects were instrumental in the development of new IRC's Service Delivery Approach towards the development of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services that last not for years, but forever.{{Cite web |url = https://www.ircwash.org/news/quick-guide-ircs-approach |title = Quick Guide to IRC's approach |author = Patrick Moriarty |date = 2013 |publisher = IRC |accessdate = September 11, 2017 }} Key to this approach is that it must be delivered by strong and competent national and local systems.{{Cite web |url = https://www.ircwash.org/news/irc%E2%80%99s-systems-approach-key-resources |title = IRC's systems approach: key resources |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }}

In 2011, IRC ranked 4th in Philanthropedia's list of "most effective WASH organisations worldwide", and in 2015, IRC ranked 3rd in this list.{{Cite web |url = https://www.myphilanthropedia.org/top-nonprofits/international/water-sanitation-hygiene/2011 |title = Ranked Nonprofits: International Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene 2011 |author = Philanthropedia |accessdate = November 3, 2017 }}{{Cite web |url = https://www.myphilanthropedia.org/top-nonprofits/international/water-sanitation-hygiene/2015 |title = Ranked Nonprofits: International Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene 2015 |author = Philanthropedia |accessdate = November 3, 2017 }}

In 2014, IRC changed its name from IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre to IRC with as tagline "Supporting water sanitation and hygiene services for life".{{Cite web |url = https://www.ircwash.org/faq |title = FAQ :: IRC |publisher = IRC |accessdate = September 12, 2017 }}

In May 2015, Aguaconsult, IRC, WaterAid, Water For People and Osprey Foundation launched Agenda for Change.{{Cite web |url = https://www.washagendaforchange.net/ |title = Agenda for Change |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }} This collaborative initiative stems from Everyone Forever from Water For People, the Service Delivery Approach of IRC, the WaterAid District-wide Approach and the aid effectiveness agenda of the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership.

In 2019 IRC celebrated its 50th anniversary by hosting the All Systems Go! symposium in The Hague from 12–14 March.{{Cite news |date=March 1, 2019 |title=IRC 59th anniversary symposium: All systems go |work=NL Netherlands Dutch Water Sector |url=https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/irc-50th-anniversary-symposium-all-systems-go |access-date=October 7, 2022}}{{Cite news |date=March 14, 2019 |title=IRC 50 years: A serious attempt to achieve universal access by 2030 |work=NL Netherlands Dutch Water Sector |url=https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/irc-50-years-a-serious-attempt-to-achieve-universal-access-by-2030 |access-date=October 7, 2022}}{{Cite news |date=March 13, 2019 |title=Babylon Quartet performs mvt. 23 of The Thailand HRDs |work=FrankHorvat.com |url=https://www.frankhorvat.com/event/babylon-quartet-performs-mvt-23-thailand-hrds/ |access-date=October 7, 2022}}

In July 2019 IRC Ghana country director Vida Duti received the 2019 OFID Annual Award for Development in recognition of her work in striving for sustainable WASH services in the country.{{Cite news |date=18 July 2019 |title=2019 OFID Annual Award for Development recognizes Vida Duti's remarkable water and sanitation work in Ghana |work=OPEC Fund for International Development website |url=https://opecfund.org/media-center/press-releases/2019/2019-ofid-annual-award-for-development-recognizes-vida-duti-s-remarkable-water-and-sanitation-work-in-ghana |access-date=12 October 2022}}

In August 2021, IRC and Water For People launched an alliance and a shared vision called Destination 2030, which aims to reach 200 million people by 2030.{{Cite news|last=Water For People|date=August 25, 2021|title=Leading NGOs, IRC and Water For People, Join Forces to Reach 200 Million|work=CSR Wire|url=https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/727411-leading-ngos-irc-and-water-people-join-forces-reach-200-million|access-date=August 26, 2021}}

In 2023, IRC's Supervisory Board endorsed a transformative plan. IRC will become a federation of autonomous national organisations, united by a common vision and brand.{{Cite book|author=IRC|url=https://www.ircwash.org/sites/default/files/annual_report_2023_web_0.pdf|title=IRC annual report 2023|publisher=IRC|year=2024|location=The Hague, the Netherlands|accessdate=January 16, 2025}}

IRC is a non-profit organisation registered in The Netherlands since 1980 as "Stichting IRC, International Water and Sanitation Centre". It has an oversight model of governance, consisting of a Supervisory Board and a Chief Executive Officer.

IRC has its headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands with country offices in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Uganda, and staff representatives in Bangladesh, India and Rwanda. In 2023, IRC had 100 people in its flexible workforce (of which 32 international, 68 in focus countries, 4 hosted, 1 intern and 20 associates - operated from 20 countries) and 30 associates. It was active in 110 projects and programmes in 24 countries, and an annual revenue of €12.5 million.{{Cite book|author=IRC|url=https://www.ircwash.org/sites/default/files/annual_report_2023_web_0.pdf|title=IRC annual report 2023|publisher=IRC|year=2024|location=The Hague, the Netherlands|accessdate=January 16, 2025}}

IRC is a steering committee member of Sanitation and Water for All, End Water Poverty and the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN),{{Cite web |url = http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/who-we-are |title = About RWSN | accessdate= February 9, 2018 }} a founding member of the Water Integrity Network (WIN),{{Cite web |url = http://www.waterintegritynetwork.net/about-us/ |title = About Water Integrity Network (WIN) | accessdate= February 9, 2018 }} a UN-Water partner, a member of the Millennium Water Alliance,{{Cite web |url = http://mwawater.org/ |title = Millennium Water Alliance |accessdate= February 9, 2018 }} the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance, the Netherlands Water Partnership{{Cite web |url = https://www.nwp.nl/over-nwp/deelnemers |title = Netherlands Water Partnership deelnemers | accessdate= February 9, 2018 }} and Partos.{{Cite web |url = https://www.partos.nl/leden/ |title = Partos deelnemers | accessdate= February 9, 2018 }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.ircwash.org/}}
• [https://www.waterforpeople.org/destination2030/ Destination 2030]
• [https://www.toilettalks.org Toilet Talks]
• [https://voicesforwater.watershed.nl Voices for Water]

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Category:International water associations

Category:1968 establishments in the Netherlands

Category:International organisations based in the Netherlands