Social Accountability and Water Integrity: Experiences with Participatory and Transparent Budgeting Practices
Floriane Clement (IWMI), Binayak Das (WIN), Hari Dhungana (IWMI), Lotte Feuerstein (WIN), Birke Otto (WIN-Associated Consultant Network) and Jasmina Van Driel (MetaMeta)
©Binayak Das, Water Integrity Network
Research Question
How do participatory and transparent budgeting mechanismscontribute to increased integrity in the water sector?
2
Challenges of Social Accountability Mechanisms
Information does not necessarily lead to action; Action does not necessarily lead to response (Guillian Monterro, Halloran, Lavin, 2016)
? ??
Research tool (WIGO, 2016)
4
Case studies: Participatory and Transparent Budgeting (PTB)
5
Community elected WASH-committee in charge of
design, procurement and budget of water scheme
Two local communities in Western region of
Nepal (Helvetas)
Two local communities in Oromia region of
Ethiopia (COWASH)
Study conducted by MetaMeta EthiopiaStudy conducted by IMWI Nepal
Community involved in public review, public
hearing, public audit of water scheme Imag
e S
ou
rce: C
om
mu
nit
y M
an
ag
ed
Pro
ject
-Fin
lan
d a
nd
Eth
iop
ia
Imag
e S
ou
rce: IW
MI
CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS (TAPA)
6
Take Away
Transparency
Accessibility,
comprehensibility, and
relevance of
information matters!
HELVETAS Nepal COWASH Ethiopia
• Project documents
available orally & written
• Limited
comprehensibility (too
complex)
• Project documents
online and in local
language
• Lack of interest/concern
CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS (TAPA)
7
Take Away
Accountability
Avoid institutional
ambiguity by clarifying
lines of responsibility
and expectations
COWASH Ethiopia
• Meetings provided
discussion space
• Disappointment when
newly articulated
demands could not be
met
• Manuals and capacity
training provided clear
descriptions of rules and
process
• High turnover rate
HELVETAS Nepal
CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS (TAPA)
8
Take Away
Participation
Changing local power
dynamics takes time,
appreciate small
changes
COWASH Ethiopia
• Participation = budget
monitoring
• Dissonance between
guidelines and practice
in terms of inclusion of
marginalised
• Participation = design,
procurement, budget
monitoring
• Socially dominant
groups remained in key
positions
HELVETAS Nepal
CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS (TAPA)
9
Take Away
Anti-CorruptionProvide spaces for
anonymous feedback
COWASH Ethiopia
• Anonymous complaint
box
• No direct anti-
corruption measures
• No direct anti-
corruption measures
HELVETAS Nepal
CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS (TAPA): SUMMARY
10
Take Away
T
Accessibility,
comprehensibility, and
relevance of information
matters!
A
Avoid institutional ambiguity
by clarifying lines of
responsibility and
expectations
P
Changing local power
dynamics takes time,
openness to notice ‘small
effects’
A Provide spaces for anonymous
feedback
COWASH Ethiopia
• Project documents available orally
& written
• Limited comprehensibility (too
complex)
• Project documents online and in
local language
• Lack of interest/concern
• Meetings provided discussion space
• Disappointment when newly
articulated demands could not be
met
• Manuals with clear descriptions of
rules and process
• High turnover rate
• Participation = budget monitoring
• Dissonance between guidelines and
practice in terms of inclusion of
marginalised
• Participation = design,
procurement, budget monitoring
• Socially dominant groups remained
in key positions
• No direct anti-corruption measures• Anonymous complaint box
• No direct anti-corruption measures
HELVETAS Nepal
General insights
• PTB provides access to information and enhances trust and political
will to articulate demands.
• Local community, culture and power dynamics are difficult to
overcome.
• Promoting a social accountability culture creates and requires new
role and relationships between all stakeholders. This takes time.
• Explore ways of studying corruption without compromising
sensibilities and avoiding risks
11
Main references
This study is based on two country reports:
“Social Accountability and WASH Service Delivery: A Case from Ethiopia”, by Jasmina van Driel and Girma Senbeta (MetaMeta) with support of Birke Otto and Lotte Feuerstein (WIN). October 2017.
“For a Deliberative Approach to Social Accountability. The Case of Participatory and Transparent Budgeting in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector in Nepal”, by Hari Dhungana, Floriane Clement, Birke Otto and Binayak Das. May 2017.
12
Thank you
13