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?

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Challenges of Social Accountability Mechanisms

Information does not necessarily lead to action; Action does not necessarily lead to response (Guillian Monterro, Halloran, Lavin, 2016)

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Research tool (WIGO, 2016)

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Case studies: Participatory and Transparent Budgeting (PTB)

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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

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om

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an

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Pro

ject

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Eth

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ia

Imag

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MI

CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS (TAPA)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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

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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

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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.

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Thank you

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