BUILDING AN INTEGRITY BASELINE FOR BETTER SERVICES IN MEXICO, LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
DATES
2019-Current
LOCATION(S)
Mexico
PARTNERS
CTG, UNAM, Cantaro Azul
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
WIN has been working with partners in Mexico since 2019 to contribute to the achievement of SDG6 and guarantee the human rights to water and sanitation by strengthening integrity in communities, organisations, and institutions of the water and sanitation sectors. Improving management of services to benefit the most marginalised groups in particular, is an important priority.
As in other parts of the world, in Mexico the lack of adequate information, transparency, accountability, citizen participation and anti-corruption measures in water and sanitation reduces the efficiency and sustainability of operators and degrades trust in public systems. In response, the main areas of action of WIN and partners have been:
Development and adaptation of methodologies and tools for the implementation of integrity initiatives;
Capacity building, with a focus on community water and sanitation systems;
Implementation of integrity programmes for water and sanitation service providers;
Strengthening partnerships with local actors to promote integrity in the water sector; and
Promoting the inclusion of a gender approach in the analysis of integrity failures.
New activities include research on sextortion and gender inequality in the water and sanitation sectors as well as research on risks and ethical dilemmas faced by utilities.
HOW THINGS ARE CHANGING
An analysis of the Mexican legal framework for water highlighted major gaps in legislation to recognise and support community structures even though water services are directly provided by communities in rural and peri-urban areas across the country. The report has been used to raise awareness, build trust in community structures, and lobby for better recognition.
Over 10 rural communities located in the centre and south of the country have implemented the IMT-SWSS. Several communities put in place a numbers of measures to engage better with users, for example: complaint mechanisms for users, regular meetings with families and community audits, or agreements on a transparent fee or rate structure. Engaging in the IMT-SWSS process has also allowed committees to build stronger alliances with municipal governments in Mexico. This is a key benefit in countries like Mexico, where small water supply systems are not regulated and often have contentious relationships with municipalities.
PUBLICATIONS
On using integrity management tools:
On integrity concerns related to regulation of small water supply systems (In Spanish)
FIND OUT MORE OR GET INVOLVED
Contact the programme coordinator: