PROGRAMMME
OVERVIEW
WIN works in Benin with its key implementing partner GWP-PNE Benin since 2009. WIN specifically provides the technical expertise required to implement these activities, and facilitates the sharing of knowledge among partners.
In addition to continued support for the implementation of a national Water Integrity Charter, WIN conducted a baseline study to measure levels of integrity and corruption in the water sector in Benin. The findings of the study were validated in December 2017 with relevant stakeholders from the water sector. The results of the study are currently been used to develop a national water integrity agenda, which will be taken up and assessed regularly during the joint water sector review.
CONTEXT AND
CHALLENGES
Benin was shaken by a large-scale case of fraud in the administration of its water development plan in 2015. Since then, sector stakeholders have shown considerable interest for water integrity, and there is an increasing demand for expertise in this area.
There are a number of integrity concerns to address in the Benin water sector, especially in relation to procurement processes for water projects, the unclear processes in the transfer of responsibilities and resources from national to local level, and the overall insufficient capacity of water sector stakeholders.
The Water Integrity Charter was endorsed by sector stakeholders and the minister of water during the joint sector review in June 2016. This major achievement was set up by a multi-stakeholder water integrity coalition, and is integrated in the national regulatory framework and existing anti-corruption mechanisms. It is the process of being operationalized.
In April 2017, the Benin government instructed all sectoral ministries to set up an integrity task force and conduct an integrity and corruption baseline for each department.
HOW WE WORK
WIN supports university-level training for students at the National Water Institute. WIN also works at municipal level, including the promotion of citizen audits, and application of the Annotated Water Integrity Scan (AWIS) in several municipalities, which is useful in identifying good and bad practices in water point leasing to farmers. WIN specifically provides the technical expertise required to implement these activities, and facilitates the sharing of knowledge among partners.
PROJECTS AND ACHIVEMENTS
The Water Integrity Charter was endorsed by sector stakeholders and the minister of water during the joint sector review in June 2016, leading to the formalization of the Charter into an official decree is currently ongoing.
In April 2017, the Benin government instructed all sectoral ministries to set up an integrity task force and conduct an integrity and corruption baseline for each department. The ongoing reform foresees the reshuffling of responsibilities among the three main institutions in charge of water management as well as of water and sanitation services in urban and rural areas.
KEY REFERENCE
DOCUMENTS
An assessment of the integrity programme activities in Benin since 2014, highlighting successes in developing a water governance charter for the promotion of water integrity and in promoting integrity at local levels using AWIS (by PNE-Benin / WIN).
Report by CANEA (Cadre de Concertation des Acteurs Non-étatiques pour l’Eau et l’Assainissement) on the contribution of CSOs to the water and sanitation sector 2015.