Manal works to advance access to clean water and safe sanitation services
Manal Shraideh is the Regional Manager at IVL’s office in Amman, Jordan. Together with the WASH Governance Group, she works to support and strengthen access to clean water and safe sanitation across the North Africa and West Asia region.
“I enjoy taking local challenges and helping translate them into national-level solutions that can be sustained over time”, says Manal Shraideh.
Manal Shraideh has worked with WASH – water, sanitation and hygiene – for around 15 years. She is a civil engineer by training, and started her carrier as a water technical engineer in Jordan. However she is most passionate about strategies and governance tools for driving change. After a few years in the workforce, she returned to university to pursue a master’s degree in water and environmental engineering, with a focus on the governance of the water sector, bridging technical expertise with governance-oriented approaches.
During her studies, Manal encountered the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), where she was later offered a position in Stockholm. When SIWI’s WASH operations were acquired by IVL in autumn 2024, Manal Shraideh and about twenty of her colleagues joined IVL.
“We brought strong expertise in water and sanitation governance. Combined with IVL’s already broad and deep environmental competence, research and innovation capacity, this enables a more cross-sectoral approach – linking WASH with water resources management, agriculture, health, and education, within a climate-resilient and systems-based framework, while supporting our shared objective of bridging scientific knowledge with practical implementation.”
Working in complex and fragile contexts
Working in complex and fragile contexts requires approaches that are adaptive, responsible and grounded in a strong understanding of local realities.
“In several of the countries where we work, contextual and security considerations shape how interventions are planned and delivered. Rather than limiting engagement, these factors encourage more flexible and thoughtful ways of working – allowing continued support to communities most affected by crisis, while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability, responsibility and continuity of essential water and sanitation services”, Manal says.
She cites the work in Syria as an example. Large parts of the country have been significantly affected by prolonged crisis, and many communities face challenges in conjunction with return and reconstruction. The WASH Governance Group works in coordination with UN partners and national counterparts to support strategic planning for restoring access to water and sanitation, both locally and nationally.
“I approach my work with passion. Challenges in the region don’t discourage me – they motivate me”, Manal says with a smile.
“Seeing even small but real change matters to me, and I believe that achieving lasting impact requires patience and a long-term perspective.”
Supporting young innovators
Through a Sida-funded initiative implemented in partnership between SIWI and IVL, the IVL WANA office has supported expanded participation in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize. This collaboration enabled young innovators from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Tunisia to participate for the first time. The office in Jordan contributed by supporting the national competitions with knowledge and information ahead of the event – something Manal hopes to continue in the future.
Looking ahead, Manal hopes for deeper collaboration with more experts within IVL and new opportunities to combine governance instruments with technology and innovation.
“This integrated way of working – bringing together WASH systems, governance and climate considerations – has become a key strength of our work in the region.”