Case studies
Published in 2019 with Helvetas, Caritas Switzerland and cewas
with support from SDC
Lessons Learnt from the Multi-Country Water Integrity Programme (MCWIP) Phase 3 (2015-2019) in Guatemala, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal with a focus on the challenges of mainstreaming integrity in local and rural water programmes.
The SDC-funded Multi-Country Water Integrity Programme (MCWIP) was a water governance and water integrity programme for rural water implemented in Guatemala, Kenya, Nepal, and Mozambique from 2012 to 2019. The overall progamme goal was to increase the engagement of water users and decision-makers to change both individual attitudes and the institutional behaviour of public, private and civil society stakeholders. Water rights holders would be thus empowered and duty bearers held accountable, leading to effective water governance as well as equitable and sustained access to water and sanitation.
The programme was implemented in collaboration with Swiss organizations working on water and sanitation, including Helvetas Swiss Inter-Cooperation, Caritas Switzerland and cewas. Partnerships were established with local organizations to develop and support local programme activities. The MCWIP focused on remote regions where service levels are lower and engaged directly to empower vulnerable communities using a framework of Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP). Social accountability mechanisms were introduced in particular, as a key component of the programme.
From 2015 to 2019, MCWIP in its third and final phase focused on collecting and structuring the knowledge gathered during the programme both to feed sustainability and to reflect on lessons learnt.
One category of lessons relates to enablers, or conditions, that support the effective launch and implementation of water integrity projects. Lessons focus on the value of media involvement in boosting Transparency and accessibility of information; the importance for Accountability of clear rules and regulations, mechanisms for gathering evidence, and open platforms for dialogue; the need for Participation to include all stakeholders and an increased proportion of women, youth, and other marginalized groups; and the value of slow progress in Anti-corruption using a collaborative, solutions-oriented, non-confrontational approach.
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