Teun Bastemeijer, whose energy, imagination and commitment have built and nurtured WIN through its early and challenging years, is stepping down from his position as Chief Strategic Advisor, today November 11th 2019.
Teun joined WIN as Director of the WIN secretariat at Transparency International on March 1st 2008, before WIN was a separate, legal association. He helped build the network and secretariat team. He also structured WIN’s advocacy work and oversaw WIN’s first major publications. In June 2013, Teun presided over the first Water Integrity Forum in Delft, the Netherlands. The planning and organization of this event was a big step in the development of a solid partnership of organizations committed to the cause of integrity and good governance in the water sector. It was in many ways the founding moment for the independent WIN network as it stands today.
As Chief Strategic Advisor from 2014 onwards, Teun guided WIN’s strategy and developed major new partnerships, for example with the OECD Water Governance Initiative, establishing WIN as an international player, here to stay.
He has played a key role in shifting the global conversation in the water sector towards integrity and anti-corruption.
A farewell from Teun Bastemeijer
November 11, 2019
Today, I am retiring after eleven years being part of the effort to build WIN as an effective instrument to reduce the impact of corruption in the water sector.
Over the years, as Director and then Chief Strategic Advisor of WIN, I spoke out against corruption and for integrity in water. This I did also out of conviction and concern. Fighting corruption in water, even when we call it promoting water integrity or improving water governance is not easy. You may recognize the frustration of being met with silence or of seeing stakeholders purposely avoid direct cooperation.
Fortunately we have made progress. More people and organizations have overcome their fear of speaking openly about integrity in water. They see value in pursuing change and seek ways to join the effort, a development that is all the more important in this era of climate change. The growth of WIN’s partnerships is a crucial element of WIN’s work and a reflection of real change.
I look back with appreciation for all the support from donors and from water and cross-sector organizations. Above all I recognize the dedication and commitment of the people I’ve cooperated with in many countries in the world, some of whom are now good friends.
It is now time to go and to wish WIN and its strategic partners a good and impactful future. I hope that you, just like myself, will stay interested in how WIN fares in coming years and continue to support the struggle for more transparency, accountability, honesty and fairness in water-related policies, strategies, programmes and projects.
During the coming years, I am hoping to spend much of my time and energy on issues of water governance for climate resilience, with a focus on local initiatives and multi-stakeholder engagement.
Farewell for now,
Teun Bastemeijer