LA CORRUPCIÓN SEXUAL ES UNA AMENAZA PARA LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS AL AGUA Y AL SANEAMIENTO "Cuando una persona tiene hambre, sed o falta de dinero, se desespera y hace cualquier cosa para sobrevivir. En esta situación, no tienen mucho que hacer. De esto se aprovechan los poderosos". -Entrevista a un informante clave, Korail-Dhaka (2021), investigación sobre la extorsión sexual en Bangladesh Una hoja informativa de WIN, ANEW, End Water Poverty, SIWI y Sanitation for All, sobre los aspectos básicos de la corrupción sexual en los sectores del agua y el saneamiento: QUÉ ES LA SEXTORSIÓN QUÉ TIENE QUE VER LA SEXTORSIÓN CON EL AGUA Y EL SANEAMIENTO ? CÓMO AFECTA LA SEXTORSIÓN A LAS MUJERES Y A SUS DERECHOS HUMANOS AL AGUA Y AL SANEAMIENTO CÓMO PUEDE LA INTEGRIDAD AYUDAR A COMBATIR LA SEXTORSIÓN Leer en inglés o francés: --- 1-¿QUÉ ES LA SEXTORSIÓN? La corrupción sexual, comúnmente conocida como "sextorsión", es una forma de corrupción de género en la que el sexo, en lugar de dinero, es la moneda del soborno. El término fue utilizado por primera vez por la Asociación Internacional de Mujeres Jueces en 2009. La sextorsión es un problema mundial que puede encontrarse en cualquier lugar donde personas en posiciones de autoridad abusan de su poder para aprovecharse de aquellos que dependen de él.  En lugar de dinero para un soborno, puede que se exiga u ofrezca sexo a cambio de un beneficio; en cualquier caso, es una forma de corrupción de género que resulta de un desequilibrio significativo de poder. Con la capacidad de conceder o retener algo importante, los perpetradores ejercen su poder sobre el cuerpo de otra persona para solicitar -explícita o implícitamente- actividad sexual. La sextorsión es intrínsecamente no consensuada debido a su naturaleza coercitiva. Es una forma grave de violencia sexual y constituye una infracción del derecho a la protección contra el acoso sexual, la degradación y la discriminación, que tiene graves implicaciones para el derecho de acceso a los servicios públicos. Ya sea un funcionario del gobierno, un agente de la ley, un empleador, un proveedor de servicios o cualquier otra persona en posición de poder, la sextorsión se produce en todos los sectores, tanto en países en desarrollo como en los desarrollados. Afecta a adultos y a niños, a profesionales establecidos y a quienes pertenecen a grupos marginados y vulnerables. Aunque los datos sugieren que la sextorsión se dirige desproporcionalmente a las mujeres, los hombres y las personas transgénero y no conformes con el género también se ven afectadas.  --- 2-¿QUÉ TIENE QUE VER LA SEXTORSIÓN CON EL AGUA Y EL SANEAMIENTO? Debido a que las mujeres y niñas suelen ser las principales responsables de la gestión del agua en el hogar y que además tienen necesidades específicas de agua y saneamiento, son más vulnerables a los abusos, los ataques o la corrupción al ir en búsqueda de agua o al acceder instalaciones de saneamiento. Además, la situación socioeconómica de las mujeres agrava su vulnerabilidad ya que, factores como la falta de recursos económicos o el acceso insuficiente a instalaciones de agua y saneamiento pueden obligarlas a pagar esos servicios con su cuerpo. La mayor probabilidad que tienen las mujeres pobres en desconocer sus derechos, aumenta aún más el riesgo de extorsión y abuso. Los puntos de agua y la infraestructura de saneamiento inadecuados, los precios elevados y la escasa integridad de las organizaciones del sector son factores de riesgo adicionales, directamente relacionados con la posibilidad de extorsión en el acceso al agua y al saneamiento. --- 3-¿CÓMO AFECTA LA SEXTORSIÓN A LAS MUJERES Y A SUS DERECHOS HUMANOS AL AGUA Y AL SANEAMIENTO? Al igual que ocurre con otras formas de abuso y violencia sexual, las víctimas de la sextorsión sufren una serie de consecuencias físicas, psicológicas y sociales. A menudo sufren en silencio debido a la vergüenza, la estigmatización, el miedo a las represalias y la falta de acceso a la justicia. Para muchos, los beneficios de denunciar la extorsión sexual no merecen los costes añadidos, sobre todo porque su naturaleza transaccional puede hacer que las víctimas se sientan más fácilmente cómplices. Cuando las mujeres se enfrentan a la sextorsión en el acceso al agua y al saneamiento, se enfrentan a la discriminación y a un acceso inseguro, en violación de sus derechos humanos al agua y al saneamiento. La sextorsión también aumenta las desigualdades de género y obstaculiza el desarrollo sostenible, lo que socava aún más los derechos humanos de las víctimas. “Fui a buscar agua y el vendedor de agua me hizo insinuaciones sexuales, pero me negué a ceder. Al día siguiente, el vendedor me negó el servicio de agua y me dijo que, a menos que aceptara sus exigencias, no podría ir a buscar agua en ese punto. Opté por recurrir a un amigo que fue a buscar agua en mi nombre ”.     -Participante en el grupo de debate en Olympic, Kenia, proyecto Sex for Water de KEWASNET y ANEW     --- 4-¿CÓMO PUEDE LA INTEGRIDAD AYUDAR A COMBATIR LA SEXTORSIÓN? Las leyes, reglamentos, políticas y estrategias existentes no definen ni reconocen suficientemente la sextorsión como una forma de corrupción o como un delito sexual, lo cual dificulta su identificación y persecución. Los datos y la información sobre el tema también son escasos debido a la poca investigación y atención que se presta a la cuestión. Además, las barreras culturales, la estigmatización, la vergüenza y los riesgos adicionales para las víctimas contribuyen a la falta de diálogo y comprensión de la sextorsión a nivel político. No obstante, se han documentado casos de sextorsión en sectores como la educación, la sanidad, la ayuda humanitaria y los servicios básicos.  Si los proveedores de servicios y las autoridades aplican los principios de derechos humanos de igualdad y no discriminación más las normas de derechos humanos de accesibilidad y asequibilidad dentro de sus marcos políticos, financieros y normativos como también en sus mecanismos de prestación de servicios, se reducirá el acceso discrecional y el abuso de poder, incluyendo la sextorsión. Las partes interesadas del sector deben dar un paso adelante y crear un entorno para que las mujeres, las niñas y otros grupos vulnerables tengan un acceso seguro al agua y al saneamiento. A raíz de esto, las organizaciones de agua y saneamiento deberían: Reconocer la sextorsión como una forma grave de corrupción e incluirla en sus políticas y marcos legales anticorrupción; Garantizar que sus dirigentes, personal, contratistas y partes interesadas reciban formación sobre el tema, para que entiendan la sextorsión como una forma de corrupción contra la que hay que actuar; Comunicar a los usuarios del agua que la sextorsión es una forma de corrupción que debe denunciarse a la organización; Establecer y comunicar al personal sanciones claramente definidas para la sextorsión; Establezcer mecanismos formales de notificación y respuesta en los que las personas puedan notificar incidentes libre y confidencialmente sin discriminación.  Apoyar el desarrollo de sistemas de apoyo psicológico y social para las víctimas. Lucha contra la sextorsión   Comparte esta hoja informativa.   Haz correr la voz. Fuentes: Eldén, Å., D. Calvo, E. Bjarnegård, S. Lundgren and S. Jonsson (2020). Sextortion: Corruption and Gender-Based Violence, EBA Report 2020:06, the Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA), Sweden.  Feigenblatt, Hazel. 2020. Breaking the silence around sextortion: The links between power, sex and corruption. Transparency International. https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/breaking-the-silence-around-sextortion Hendry, N. (2020). Sextortion: Sexual Offence or Corruption Offense? [web log]. Retrieved from https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/sextortion-sexual-offence-or-corruption-offence . Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society Network (KEWASNET) and the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW) (2020). Sex for Water Project: Promoting Safe Space for Girls and Young Women in Kibera Project, Final Baseline Report. https://www.susana.org/_resources/documents/default/3-3965-270-1606746371.pdf Sangeetha Purushothaman et al. (2021). Seeing Beyond the State: Grassroots Women’s Perspectives on Corruption and Anti-Corruption. UNDP. https://anticorruption.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Grassroots-women-and-anti-corruption.pdf . UNDP-SIWI Water Governance Facility (2017). Women and corruption in the water sector: Theories and experiences from Johannesburg and Bogotá. WGF Report No. 8. Stockholm: SIWI. Water Integrity Network. 2021. Water integrity Global Outlook 2021: Water integrity in urban water and sanitation. Water Integrity Network, Berlin. https://www.waterintegritynetwork.net/wigo2021 Descargar como pdf: en inglés en español en francés

SEXUAL CORRUPTION IS A THREAT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS TO WATER AND SANITATION “When a person is hungry, thirsty, or short on cash, she gets desperate and will do anything to survive. In this position, they don’t have much to do. This is exploited by powerful people.” - Key Informant Interview, Korail-Dhaka (2021), research study on sextortion in Bangladesh A factsheet by WIN, ANEW, End Water Poverty, SIWI and Sanitation for All, on the basics of sexual corruption in the water and sanitation sectors: What is sextortion or sexual corruption ? What does sextortion have to do with water and sanitation ? How does sextortion impact women and their human rights to water and sanitation ? How can water integrity help combat sextortion ? Read in Spanish or French: --- 1-WHAT IS SEXTORTION? Sexual corruption, or commonly "sextortion", is a gendered form of corruption in which sex, rather than money, is the currency of a bribe . The term was first used by the International Association of Women Judges in 2009. Sextortion is a global issue, which happens wherever people in positions of authority abuse their power to take advantage of those dependent on that power. Sex in exchange of a benefit or service may be demanded or may be offered in the place of money for a bribe, but either way it is a gendered form of corruption resulting from significant power imbalance. Whether it be a government official, law enforcement officer, employer, service provider or any other individual in a position of power, sextortion occurs across sectors in both developing and developed countries and affects adults and children, established professionals and those belonging to marginalised and vulnerable groups. While evidence suggests that sextortion disproportionally targets women, men, transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals are also affected.   Sextortion is inherently non-consensual due to its coercive nature, is a severe form of sexual violence , and is an infringement of the right to be protected against sexual harassment and discrimination, having serious implications on the rights to access water and sanitation and public services.  --- 2-WHAT DOES SEXTORTION HAVE TO DO WITH WATER AND SANITATION? Because women and girls often bear the main responsibility for household water management, and because they have specific water and sanitation needs, they are more vulnerable to abuse, attacks, or corruption when fetching water or in accessing sanitation facilities. In addition, women’s socioeconomic status compounds their vulnerability. Factors such as a lack of financial resources or insufficient access to water and sanitation facilities can force women into paying for services with their bodies.  The higher likelihood that poor women are unaware of  their rights and entitlements, further increases the risk of abuse. Inadequate water points and sanitation infrastructure, high prices, and poor integrity in sector organisations are additional risk factors, directly linked to the prospect of sextortion in access to water and sanitation.  --- 3-HOW DOES SEXTORTION IMPACT WOMEN AND THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS TO WATER AND SANITATION? Just as with other forms of sexual abuse and violence, victims of sextortion suffer a range of physical, psychological and social consequences and often suffer in silence due to shame, stigmatisation, fear of reprisal, and a lack of access to justice . For many, the benefits of reporting sextortion are not worth the costs , particularly as its transactional nature can contribute to victims being portrayed as complicit. When women face sextortion in accessing water and sanitation, they face discrimination and their access is unsafe, in violation of their human rights to water and sanitation. Sextortion also increases gender inequalities and hinders sustainable development, further undermining victims’ human rights. “I went to fetch water and the water vendor made sexual advances, but I refused to give in. The next day, I was denied water services by the vendor, who stated that unless I accepted his demands, I could not fetch water at that point. I opted to use a friend, who fetched water on my behalf”.   -Participant, Olympic Focus Group Discussion, Sex for Water Project, Kenya (2020)    --- 4-HOW CAN INTEGRITY HELP COMBAT SEXTORTION? Existing laws, regulations, policies and strategies do not sufficiently define or recognise sextortion as either a form of corruption or a sexual offence, making it difficult to identify and prosecute . Data and information on the topic are also scarce, due to limited research and awareness . Cultural barriers, stigmatisation, shame and additional risks to victims further contribute to a lack of dialogue and understanding of sextortion at the policy level. When service providers and authorities apply the human rights principles of equality and non-discrimination and the human rights standards of accessibility and affordability in policy, service delivery, and financial and regulatory frameworks, discretionary access and the abuse of power, including sextortion, will be reduced. Sector stakeholders must step forward and create an environment for women, girls and other vulnerable groups to safely access water and sanitation. Following from this, water and sanitation organisations should:  Recognise sextortion as a serious form of corruption and include it in their anti-corruption policies and legal frameworks;  Ensure that their leadership, staff, contractors, and other relevant stakeholders are trained on the issue as part of gender-responsive plans and practices, so they understand sextortion as a form of corruption that must be acted on;  Communicate to water users that sextortion is a form of corruption which should be reported; Put in place and communicate to staff clearly defined penalties for sextortion;  Put in place formal reporting and response mechanisms where individuals can report incidents freely, confidentially, and without discrimination.   Support the development of psychological and social support systems for victims. Take a stand against sextortion! Share this factsheet! Spread the word. Sources: Eldén, Å., D. Calvo, E. Bjarnegård, S. Lundgren and S. Jonsson (2020). Sextortion: Corruption and Gender-Based Violence, EBA Report 2020:06, the Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA), Sweden.  Feigenblatt, Hazel. 2020. Breaking the silence around sextortion: The links between power, sex and corruption. Transparency International. https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/breaking-the-silence-around-sextortion Hendry, N. (2020). Sextortion: Sexual Offence or Corruption Offense? [web log]. Retrieved from https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/sextortion-sexual-offence-or-corruption-offence . Kenya Water and Sanitation Civil Society Network (KEWASNET) and the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW) (2020). Sex for Water Project: Promoting Safe Space for Girls and Young Women in Kibera Project, Final Baseline Report. https://www.susana.org/_resources/documents/default/3-3965-270-1606746371.pdf Sangeetha Purushothaman et al. (2021). Seeing Beyond the State: Grassroots Women’s Perspectives on Corruption and Anti-Corruption. UNDP. https://anticorruption.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Grassroots-women-and-anti-corruption.pdf . UNDP-SIWI Water Governance Facility (2017). Women and corruption in the water sector: Theories and experiences from Johannesburg and Bogotá. WGF Report No. 8. Stockholm: SIWI. Water Integrity Network. 2021. Water integrity Global Outlook 2021: Water integrity in urban water and sanitation. Water Integrity Network, Berlin. https://www.waterintegritynetwork.net/wigo2021 Download as pdf: in English: in Spanish: in French:

PREVENTING CORRUPTION AND ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO WATER, SANITATION, HEALTH, AND EDUCATION By Marcela Lopez and Josefa Vergara, WIN Sextortion is a gendered form of corruption where sex is used as a currency for bribery. It has emerged as a serious threat to those seeking access to basic public services. Sextortion is about abuse of authority and it happens all over the world. Even though victims and survivors are mainly women, it also affects children, the LGBTQ+ community, migrants, and men. It impedes access to basic services, blocks the full realisation of the human rights to water and sanitation, while undermining institutional integrity. And yet, despite its prevalence, sextortion remains taboo, camouflaged in silence. In this Integrity Talk, we explored how sextortion impacts the delivery of water, sanitation, health, and education. We looked at its implications for the well-being of women and marginalised groups. We zoomed in on the need for visibility and awareness raising, safe reporting mechanisms and better data, as well as the need for legal reform and the ways specific legislation can be drafted. The key is in how principles of integrity can help prevent sextortion and secure equitable and safe access to basic public services. With special guests: Nancy Hendry (International Association of Women Judges, IAWJ); Robert Gillanders (Anti-Corruption Research Center, Dublin City University Business School); Ortrun Merkle (Maastricht Graduate School of Governance/UNU-Merit); Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM); Diana Gómez (Consultant, UNAM); Dolores Calvo (Department of Government, Uppsala University); Sareen Malik (The African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation, ANEW). Moderated by Alana Potter, (End Water Poverty, EWP). This is an edited summary of the main discussion points of Integrity Talk 7 on Sextortion, which took place online on June 7, 2023. KEY TAKEAWAYS Recognising and communicating about sextortion as a form of corruption: Sextortion is not just gender-based violence and it is not just corruption. It is a specific act with different drivers and long-lasting impact on health and society. It gains from being recognised as such, so that it can be reported and addressed more effectively, and to discourage perpetrators. What we don’t look for, we don’t see, meaning sextortion is too rarely a focus of research or compliance efforts. This needs to change. Holding those in positions of power accountable for their actions and abuses: When implementing measures against sextortion, it is crucial to emphasise the responsibility of the person abusing their authority, shifting the blame away from the victims. Adhering to integrity principles: Incorporating integrity principles in legislation and policies or adopting clear standards of conduct in institutions is crucial to combat sextortion and ensure accountability from those exploiting their authority. Raising awareness about sextortion: where poverty is internalised, where disrespect and violence against women is normalised, sextortion will happen and continue to rarely be reported. Education and awareness raising on sextortion, on rights, and on the need and availability of safe reporting mechanisms is crucial. SKIP TO VIDEOS > “When we think about corruption, the image that usually comes to mind is money changing hands. And that economic mindset has largely shaped integrity efforts and until recently also limited our ability to see and address other threats to integrity. And in particular, what we call sextortion.” – N. Hendry, IAWJ How does sextortion manifest in the delivery of basic public services? Nancy Hendry (IAWJ) : Sextortion involves the abuse of authority by government officials. Individuals are forced to provide sexual favours to access services they are entitled to. It occurs across sectors in many forms. Sextortion has been reported in the water sector, for example, when the staff of a water utility demands sex in exchange for water services. There are many known examples from the education sector, where individuals are forced to provide sexual favours for academic success or opportunities. Law enforcement also sees cases of sextortion, where officers use their badge to extort sex in exchange for favourable treatment. In migration services, there are known examples of officers demanding sexual acts in exchange for granting permits or status. It is a pervasive and global problem that we have only begun to document, but the anecdotal evidence is compelling. Diana Gómez : Sextortion involves a quid pro quo arrangement, where individuals are forced to provide sexual favours in return for receiving the services they are entitled to. This creates a transactional relationship where access to essential services becomes contingent on engaging in sexual acts, further perpetuating power imbalances and gender-based violence. Ortun Merkle (UNU-Merit): In our study conducted on sextortion in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in rural and urban areas in Bangladesh, we found that women do experience sextortion when accesing WASH services, especially water, rather than bathing and toilet facilities. The study shows that factors such as poverty, water insecurity and low literacy are risk factors for sextortion. Gender norms play a big role in how the issue manifests and is taken seriously or not. We know that WASH access is highly gendered and women face an increased risk of violence when access is not guaranteed. But we still don’t know enough about where and when this violence takes place, and who is affected (women, men, LGBTQIA+). Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina (UNAM) : In our research about sextortion in Ciudad de México, we found that sexual violence has been normalised and is taken as a given. For example, jokes are regularly made about this practice. There is a general presumption that this exchange is voluntary, hindering the visibility and recognition of the coercive quality of this type of sexual exchange. In addition, there is a social judgment on women who are victims of the practice and not on the person abusing power. How do norms affect sextortion in service delivery? Ortun Merkle (UNU-Merit): Lots of the the reasons why women are vulnerable to sextortion are similar to why they are vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence. But they are not always the same, and that is why it’s important to research them separately. Gender norms play a significant role in determining who can be a victim or perpetrator, and in influencing social responses. We found that these norms play a very important role both in determining who is vulnerable, how stigma is attached to the act, and whether sextortion will be reported and taken seriously as a form of corruption that needs to be punished. Robert Gillanders (DCU) : We found that none of the traditional causes of corruption seem to predict the rate of sextortion across the world. But what really matters for the rate of sextortion is the level of corruption, or the perceived level of corruption. Corruption within institutions undermines other norms and creates accountability deficits, allowing individuals in positions of power to exploit their authority for personal gain. This abuse of power opens the door for sextortion, especially targeting vulnerable groups such as women and migrants. In the context of female entrepreneurship, power imbalances are evident. Our research reveals that women entrepreneurs who wish to exploit business opportunities are discouraged by sextortion because of the significant costs to which they may be exposed. On the other hand, women involved in entrepreneurship for necessity, driven by survival, are not discouraged, underscoring their vulnerability. Dolores Calvo (Uppsala Uni.): Something important about Tanzania, where we do our research, is that there is a specific paragraph of the Anti-corruption Act that criminalises extortion and only holds the perpetrator liable. Organistions we’ve looked at in education also use definitions of sextortion that clearly focus on the person abusing the position of power. But there is still often a gap between the definition and the measures proposed to address sextortion, which focus on the responsibility of the students to say no to sextortion. We must keep in mind structural, organisational factors that enable sextortion. This might be regulations and normalised practices of corruption. What can we do about sextortion? Sareen Malik (ANEW): First you have to see. It’s essential to look beyond the surface and recognise the prevalence of sextortion. It’s important to understand what has been normalised or internalised. Secondly, it is important to pay attention to the role of advocacy and media. At first no one took us seriously. The #MeToo movement contributed to changing that. I think we have all contributed to changing the terms of the discussions. It’s not about whether sextortion happens or why we bring it up, but what we can do. We have done awareness raising in communities, we focused on psycho-social support for victims. Now we are looking at what can be done in terms of legislation. “You need to see what is going on. That queue is not innocent. That bowser coming in is not innocent. That yellow jerrycan, the guy who’s pushing it, those water tanks. A lot more needs to be done, but in terms of innovation, what is it that we can do to make sure women never have to fetch water again?” – Sareen Malik, ANEW Nancy Hendry (IAWJ): The absence of specific laws remains a challenge in combating sextortion. Cases have to be brought under statutes that encompass sextortion conduct but call it by a different name: corruption, bribery, breach of trust, extortion, sexual harassment. And the result is often an imprecise fit and has legal risks for victims. There are, however, things we can do to address the issue. We can raise awareness and work to assure that women know their rights and feel empowered to assert them. We can provide safe, confidential, gender-sensitive reporting mechanisms and whistle-blower protection. We can work to change institutional cultures by adopting clear standards of conduct and reinforcing them through education and training. There not only needs to be a clear understanding that sextortion is a form of corruption, but integrity efforts need to look for sextortion, find it, report it, and impose sanctions for engaging in it. How can the principles of integrity help prevent sextortion and secure equitable and safe access to basic public services? Ortun Merkle (UNU-Merit) : Understanding and defining sextortion as a form of corruption can shift the way integrity efforts are directed at combating this issue. Raising awareness of sextortion and incorporating sextortion into data collection efforts are essential steps in understanding its scope and impact. “It is very important to keep in focus who is responsible for abusing power for sex. Always the person abusing the position of power is responsible. This is important both to enable accountability and prevent impunity for perpetrators.” – Dolores Calvo, Uppsala University Dolores Calvo (Uppsala Uni.) : Holding those in positions of power accountable for their actions and abuses is essential to prevent sextortion. Additionally, recognising and addressing gender norms and power dynamics that enable sextortion is crucial to ensure safe and equitable access to basic public services. Integrating integrity principles in legislation and policies can help cast a wider net in combating sextortion and ensuring accountability for those abusing power. SEE THE VIDEOS Introduction – moderated by Alana Potter, EWP Framing presentation: What is sextortion and what to do about it, by Nancy Hendry, IAWJ “Sextortion is not a new phenomenon. We have always known it existed, but we didn’t have a name for it, and it wasn’t something we talked about or addressed as an integrity issue. It wasn’t a focus of research or compliance efforts. And what we don’t look for or gather data about, we don’t see, and we don’t take steps to address. We didn’t draft laws or codes of conduct that specifically addressed sextortion, and we didn’t seek to hold perpetrators accountable. Impunity was the rule.” says Nancy Hendry Sextortion, Corruption, and Female Entrepreneurship, by Robert Gillanders, DCU “We can show, I think quite strongly, that even controlling for the level of corruption and cultural factors and economic development and the kind of regulatory burden, the rate of sextortion across countries is a strong deterrent to female entrepreneurship.” says Robert Gillanders Sextortion in WASH in Bangladesh, by Ortrun Merkle, UNU-Merit “We found that women across all the areas face sexual and gender-based violence when accessing water and sanitation services. And, the likelihood of being exposed to sexual and gender-based violence was roughly the same across across all areas. But women in water insecure households had a much higher risk of being exposed to sextortion.” says Ortrun Merkle Extorsion sexual por accesso a los servicios de agua y saneamiento en la Ciudad de Mexico, by Diana Gomez and Jorge Arriaga, UNAM “We found that the different forms of sexual violence are normalised. There are jokes and expressions that suggest the practice is common and socially acceptable. There is no questioning of how public service authorities exercise power in relation to women generally. There is the notion that it is a voluntary exchange, which hinders visibility.” says Diana Gomez Sexual abuse of authority: taking action against sextortion in Tanzania, by Dolores Calvo of Uppsala University “We believe that a key to combatting sextortion is to focus on professionalism. Persons in positions of authority are obligated to exercise this authority fairly and according to pre-established criteria. It is important to stress the responsibility attached to a position of authority and the professional ethics that must come with such a position of entrusted power” says Dolores Calvo. Campaigning for change in Kenya, by Sareen Malik, ANEW “We got calls from legislators about what’s happening with that bill because not only is the water sector actually bringing up the issue documented, this is all actually going to have implications for all sectors, to address the issues of sextortion” says Sareen Malik. Discussion part 1 on legal reform With thoughts on how to prosecute sextortion, bespoke laws, asymmetric liability and reputational risks. Discussion part 2 on reporting mechanisms and support to women With thoughts on the long-term consequences of sextortion, the need for better and safer reporting, and the challenges of coming forward when violence is an accepted part of life. Discussion part 3 on striking takeaways With thoughts on the role of mothers, the need for visibility, and the need for representation of women in positions of power. Conclusion, moderated by Alana Potter, EWP

Kicking off new strategy with progress and promise LEER ARTÍCULO EN ESPAÑOL "The message is clear. We must change course to achieve universal access to water and sanitation." -António Guterres, United Nations Secretary General, in Blueprint for Acceleration: Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation 2023. Integrity is critical in the water and sanitation sectors because corruption and mismanagement can severely impact service delivery and preparedness to water disasters, contributing to health crises, and environmental degradation. By promoting integrity through transparency and accountability, WIN ensures that resources are used efficiently and equitably, helping to secure access to clean water and sanitation for all. In 2023, the Water Integrity Network (WIN) kicked off work on its new strategy in a context of deepening climate stress and severe water-related disasters, as well as a deteriorating state of democracy and civic space the world over. These worrying trends make the work of WIN and partners all the more important. In a sector profoundly affected by climate change, transparency, accountability, participation and anti-corruption activities, can build trust and make or break new developments. Through a blend of research, capacity building, tool development, and impactful country programmes, WIN and partners have been laying the groundwork for long-term sustainable improvements. We thank our partners for their work and collaboration in promoting clean and honest governance for the water and sanitation sectors. Thank you also to our donors and supporters for making our work possible. Key Highlights of 2023 Thought leadership and research: understanding the intricacies of integrity risks in new areas of the water and sanitation sectors WIN's commitment to research is opening up new areas of inquiry to better understand how the water and sanitaiton sectors suffer from corruption and how best to address risks. New work on sanitation, in particular Citywide Inclusive Sanitation and regulation of sanitation, identified unique integrity risks. The research will be the groundwork for tools, training and input on integrity risk management due in 2024. In response to partner requests, WIN also launched key research on integrity in water and sanitation finance, including climate finance and key issues such as blended finance and misuse of funds , in preparation of the launch of the next Water Integrity Global Outlook . “[This is] knowledge that I can use with decision makers to make a change in informal settlements.” -Participant of the online course Integrity in Informal Settlements in end-of-course evaluation Training and capacity building: integrity champions in the making Training remains a cornerstone of WIN’s strategy, with over 500 individuals participating in various online courses hosted with Cap-Net on water integrity basics as well as service delivery in informal settlements . These basic trainings, in conjunction with training of new users of integrity management tools are building capacity for a network of integrity champions among water and sanitation sector professionals. Tool development: equipping water and sanitation sector professionals for integrity risk assessment and management WIN has advanced the development of critical data tools like the Framework for Integrity in Infrastructure Planning (FIIP) and the Water Integrity Risk Index (WIRI) . These tools help identify and mitigate integrity risks in water infrastructure projects and procurement. They can guide reform programmes. WIN also consolidated InWASH - a complete integrity toolbox for utilities to gain an understanding of integrity practices and opportunities, and develop a practical action plan. The tool is now being used across Latin America. In 2023 WIN worked with utilities and small water supply systems that together reach an estimated 13.076 million people. -WIN Annual Report 2023 Country programmes: pushing the agenda for integrity from local to national levels WIN's country programs in Kenya, Bangladesh, and Mexico have made significant strides. In Kenya, a new four-year strategy focuses on collective action, integrating integrity tools into governance models, and enhancing climate financing governance. Kenyan partners also expanded work using the IMT-SWSS . In Bangladesh, a new strategy and new partners are looking towards building capacity of community organisations for advocacy and better services through integrity. Research on CWIS also strongly builds on the expertise and work of Bangladesh partners. In Mexico, work focused on enhancing water and sanitation services especially for marginalised groups, through improved management and robust partnerships with local actors. The Water Justice Plan, or Chiapas Agenda, is one branch of the work spearheaded by partners and indigenous leaders of communities in the region, to ensure electoral candidates make relevant committments to address their needs. Work was also carried out with water utilities and regulators in Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Argentina, and Bolivia , with support from the Inter-American Development Bank. And that's not all, WIN put water integrity on the agenda at major international fora. It will continue to do so in 2024 and beyond. As WIN continues to catalyse a culture of integrity, your support is crucial. Together, we can prevent and combat corruption, enhance service delivery, and ensure the sustainable use of water resources in the face of global challenges. Join the network as partner to share your committment. Or contact us to codevelop or support new research and country programmes , Read more about WIN advocacy, research, and partner programmes in the Annual Report 2023:

Authors: Barbara Schreiner, Water Integrity Network; Catarina Fonseca, IRC associate; Patrick Moriarty, IRC; Tim Brewer, Water Witness International; Mary Galvin, Water Integrity Network With thanks to Javier Pereira, Independent Consultant A recent study estimated the annual global investment needed to cover WASH-related services by 2030 at $264 billion . Figures from the UN2023 Water Conference varied between US$182 to more than US$600 billion annually . These figures are commonly used to support the position that neither public finance nor official development assistance (ODA) are sufficient to fill the funding gap, hence we must tap private finance. This position is simplistic. It fails to address why private finance would be interested in the high (political) risk, low (financial) return sector that we know water and sanitation to be. It also places little emphasis on using existing funds better. Blended finance is often proposed as the best way to bring private finance into the water and sanitation sectors. This two part blog will look firstly at the success (or as we argue, lack thereof) of blended finance, including the challenges of loan repayments and fiscal space, and in a follow up, at the neglected yet developing area of how to better use existing funding. NO SILVER BULLET Over the last decade there has been increased interest in blended finance as a solution to the funding gap in water and sanitation – using ODA or public funds to incentivise private investment in developing countries where commercial returns alone are not sufficiently convincing to attract private money. The argument is that by using some public money to attract private finance, the rest of the money that would otherwise have been spent can be released to be used elsewhere. Behind this argument is, often, the idea that if private money is leveraged in to provide services for those who can afford to pay (e.g. middle-class urban dwellers), then freed up public money can be spent reaching those who cannot. In reality, however, it is again not that simple: blended finance “ does not necessarily support pro-poor activities, often focuses on middle-income countries, and may give preferential treatment to donors’ own private-sector firms. ” Blended finance programmes may also not align with country plans, and are often weak on transparency, accountability, and participation. Maria Jose Romero, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Eurodad’s work on development finance argues that “ [b]lended finance is yet another iteration of privatization and financialization, whereby publicly funded aid programs increasingly serve the needs and goals of the private sector. ” She further outlines the risk that aid funds end up “ subsidising private companies for investments they would have made in any case ” – investments on which they expect to make a profit, with little evidence of the achievement of additional goals. At a time when aid budgets are being squeezed, there is a real risk that these ‘innovations’ divert aid from poorer to richer countries, and from poor people to wealthy corporations, without us learning from, for example, the established lessons of tied aid , which has been shown to cost 15-30% more than untied aid. A report commissioned by the European Parliament reflects similar concerns, finding that public funds may flow to private shareholders rather than to sectors and regions in need; that blended finance may create risks for development agencies and costs for recipient governments over the longer-term; and that blending may promote the interests of financial investors rather than development outcomes. Even supporters of blended finance recognise some of the challenges. Joan Larrea, Chief Executive of Convergence, the Global Network for Blended Finance, states that “ [t]here are many cases where straight-up aid should remain straight-up aid, and there are also many cases where private sector investors don’t need any encouragement to do something because it already is lucrative enough to roll the dice and take the risk on whatever they’re staring at” . LIMITED UPTAKE AND RISKS The challenges are implicit in blended finance regardless of the sector being invested in. The water and sanitation sectors face additional challenges. Firstly, blended finance is not flowing into the sector . Overall, blended finance approaches mobilised around US$258 billion between 2012 and 2019 in emerging markets , but little of this was for water and sanitation. Between 2017 and 2019 water and sanitation accounted for less than 1.5% of the commercial finance mobilised – which covers less than 2% of the estimated funding gap. Secondly, the blended finance discussion is taking place in a context where fiscal space in emerging markets is limited , particularly in the poorest countries. Such countries have little or no room to take on further loans. Fiscal space is the “ room in a government’s budget that allows it to provide resources for a desired purpose without jeopardizing the sustainability of its financial position or the stability of the economy ”. Fiscal space is strongly linked to fiscal sustainability and whether government has the capacity to service debt obligations arising from any borrowing . Common factors that limit fiscal space include a narrow tax base, high levels of debt, low economic growth, recessions and competing demands for public spending. Inefficient public financial management systems, corruption, inadequate governance structures, and political constraints can also limit fiscal space. Thirdly, including commercial loans as part of blended finance, may pose significant foreign exchange risks to developing countries, where revenue is earned in local currency but loan payments are in a foreign currency. Local currency investments may not be readily available or may come with high interest rates, forcing utilities or governments to seek international investments. Changes in the exchange rate may then mean that loans, including private sector loans through blended finance models, become much more expensive than initially planned for. FINDING NEW WAYS TO CLOSE THE GAP There are significant constraints to financing the water and sanitation sectors in developing countries through blended finance. While it may be working on a small scale in some locales, it is not, and is not likely to, deliver sustainable finance on the scale needed to meet SDG 6. Despite the allure of words like ‘innovative’ and ‘blended’ we need to find other ways to close the funding gap. In the meantime, while more equitable, less risky methods of deploying private finance to the water and sanitation sector are being investigated, there is significant opportunity in lowering the costs of water and sanitation service provision. Much greater investment is needed in reducing corruption, improving infrastructure management, and addressing revenue collection. Using existing funding better should be the priority for the sector, and the necessary time, effort and investment should be put into this by development finance institutions, development banks, bilateral and other donors, and national and local government. Our next blog will address some priorities in using existing funds better. This blog is part of a series exploring water and sanitation sector finance from an integrity perspective, in the run up to the publication of our next Water Integrity Global Outlook on Finance in 2024. Linked references Strong, C, Kuzma, S., Vionnet, S., and Reig. (2020). Achieving abundance: understanding the cost of a sustainable water future , WRI Working Paper. United Nations. (2023). Press Release: Historic UN conference marks watershed moment to tackle global water crisis and ensure water-secure future. Pereira, J. (2017). Blended Finance, what it is and how it works. Research Report. Oxfam. The Blended Finance Project. (2021). Interview with María José Romero – Eurodad. Crabb, J. (2022). Why blended finance risks being bad for SDGs. Capital Monitor. Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, (2020). A Knotty Problem: Turning Words into Action on Tied Aid . Bayliss, K.; Bonizzi, B.; Dimakou, O.; Waeyenberge, E.; Laskaridis, C.; Sial, F. (2020). The use of development funds for de-risking private investment: how effective is it in delivering development results? Policy Department for External Relations. Directorate General for External Policies of the Union Farr, J.; Stodulka, K.; Holland, E.; Wedl, I.; Fletcher, K.; Mason, N. (2022). Mobilising capital for water: blended finance solutions to scale investment in emerging markets. WaterAid and the Blended Finance Taskforce. Washmatters. Wateraid. OECD. (2019). Making Blended Finance Work for Water and Sanitation: Unlocking Commercial Finance for SDG 6 , OECD Studies on Water, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5efc8950-en. Money, A. (2022). Blended Finance in the Water Sector: Challenges and Attributes. World Water Council. Heller, P. (2005). Back to Basics — Fiscal Space: What It Is and How to Get It. Finance and Development. Volume 42, Number 2. International Monetary Fund. Heller, P. (2005). Understanding Fiscal Space. IMF Policy Discussion Paper. PDP/05/4. International Monetary Fund. Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash

SUPPORTING LEADING WATER AND SANITATION UTILITIES TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH INTEGRITY DATES 2014-Current LOCATION(S) Global PARTNERS Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), SIWI, cewas, NGO Forum, GIZ WHAT IT'S ABOUT Water and sanitation service providers face high integrity risks in all their operations and across the value chain of water projects. Nepotism, accounting fraud, collusion in procurement, cutting corners in construction, extortion for permits and licenses, speed money for repairs, for connections, for a favourable meter reading. The examples are numerous and from across the globe. More than 15 per cent of respondents to a national household survey in Guatemala said they paid a bribe when they sought a water connection or reconnection. In Kenya, over 50 per cent of households surveyed in Nairobi felt their bills were unfair, 20 per cent said they paid their bills regardless of the accuracy (in order to avoid disconnection) and 66 per cent said they had had a water-related corruption experience in the past year. - Transparency International, Global Corruption Report 2008 As they operate as natural monopolies, implement technically complex projects with high initial capital and maintenance costs, employ large teams of people, and are accountable to multiple stakeholders in a sector which is notoriously fragmented, water and sanitation service providers are also especially vulnerable and closed to meaningful participation and oversight processes. When the risks materialize, corruption can result in substantial financial losses, poor quality infrastructure, reduced quality and availability of services. Those who suffer most are the poorest and most marginalised, who tend to pay more for inadequate service. There's a lot at stake for utilities. There is also a lot that can be done to proactively assess and manage risks. There are practical tools for financial controls, customer service or human resource management, that support integrity in water service delivery and minimise corruption risks. WIN provides training and support to service providers in strengthening integrity within their work processes using InWASH and related tools to assess gaps in integrity practices and develop action plans with the commitment and input of staff. With our partners we've worked in over 30 utilities worldwide, especially across Latin America with the Consortium for Water Integrity in Latin America, Kenya with GIZ and KEWASNET, and Bangladesh with NGO Forum. We also collaborate on research to understand integrity risks and their impact. A recent study with the IDB shows that strong anti-corruption and integrity measures can contribute to substantial savings and reduce delays in implementation . More recent studies focus on risks related to service delivery in informal settlements and City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation. With integrity assessments and integrity management, water utilities and sector organisations workign with us have: Increased revenue and financial stability Identified critical business weaknesses and aligned with international best practice Streamlined processes and built trust from users TOOLS InWASH - the complete integrity management toolbox for water utilities PUBLICATIONS On the impact of integrity management tools: In Spanish: Control y gestión de la integridad en el sector de agua y saneamiento a través de los sistemas de evaluación del desempeño La caja de herramientas para la gestión de la integridad del sector de agua: Un instrumento de gestión del cambio: Resultados y lecciones aprendidas Case studies: FIND OUT MORE OR GET INVOLVED Contact our programme coordinator

Around the world, residents of many large cities are facing warnings of "day-zero" conditions for their water supply. These warnings often come with water restrictions, cut-offs, and concerns about water quality. While climate change and historic droughts are frequently cited as causes, mismanagement and lack of preparedness are also significant factors, though these are less commonly discussed. Even less attention is given to issues of integrity and corruption, yet these lie at the heart of the water scarcity crisis in cities. With accountability in mind, key questions arise: How are resources and funds managed to prevent or address water shortages? Who bears the brunt of the impacts? Who controls the data that guides decisions? Are resources allocated fairly, and how are priorities set? Who makes these decisions, and by what process? At Integrity Talk 11, we explored these questions and the intersection of accountability and urban water scarcity, focusing on Latin America. Featured speakers: Emilie Dupuits (Universidad San Francisco de Quito) Fermín Reygadas Robles Gil (Cántaro Azul) Cody Copeland (Environmental Journalist, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Gonzalo Meschengieser (Cámara Argentina del Agua) Tamara Luengo (Aqueducto) Moderator: Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina, Executive Coordinator, CERSHI This summary highlights key points from Integrity Talk 11, organised by the Water Integrity Network (WIN) and UNESCO's Regional Water Security Center (CERSHI), held online on June 26, 2024. Video to follow! --- Takeaways Collaborative efforts are essential: Addressing urban water scarcity demands collaboration between governments, academic institutions, and civil society organisations. Clear policies and funding are vital to support these efforts. Transparency and accountability build trust: Transparent water management practices (which make monitoring possible) and strong accountability mechanisms (to ensure responsibilities are clear and acted on) are critical for building public trust and ensuring resources are used efficiently. Technology and innovation drive progress: Advancements in technology, such as sophisticated monitoring systems and data analytics, offer significant opportunities to improve water management. Investment in research and development should be a priority. Community engagement ensures effectiveness: Involving local and indigenous communities in water management ensures that initiatives meet real needs and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility. --- Addressing Water Scarcity through Collaboration Jorge Arriaga: Collaboration is key to tackling water scarcity in cities, requiring active participation from governments, academia, and civil society. Governments must create frameworks that encourage collaboration to assess and manage water scarcity with clear policies and funding for joint projects . Academic institutions can provide research and innovative solutions, while civil society organisations play a critical role in advocating for sustainable practices, highlighting areas of need, and holding authorities accountable. Emilie Dupuits: Collaboration not only fosters innovation but also allows for the sharing of best practices, which is crucial for addressing complex water issues. Community-based solutions must be addressed as well as nature-based solutions, especially in regions like Ecuador, where local and indigenous communities play a crucial role in water management. These communities manage water according to principles of reciprocity, territoriality, and culture, often voluntarily. For example, they have taken on the task of conserving water sources in the “páramos” because this leads to greater water availability for productive activities and for drinking water. Tamara Luengo: In Mexico City, water scarcity is more a result of poor management than resource availability . Improved management practices could significantly alleviate the city's water crisis. --- The Role of Transparency and Accountability Fermín Reygadas: Transparency in water management is essential for building public trust and ensuring efficient resource use. Accountability mechanisms are necessary to help in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of policies and actions, leading to continuous improvement. In Mexico, despite good national water laws, enforcement is weak . For example, very little investment is made in inspecting, sanctioning, and monitoring water quality , which leads to overexploitation and contamination of water resources. Water is increasingly being extracted from deeper sources where there is more arsenic. This has severe health repercussions. Also, there is a focus on rapid investments like constructing large dams instead of addressing root causes such as over-extraction and pollution. “Without transparency and accountability for addressing water management, the cycle of ineffective practices will continue.” - Fermín Reygadas Cody Copeland: Without transparency and accountability, it is challenging to gain public support and ensure that water management practices are fair and just. These principles are fundamental to good governance and sustainable water management. In Mexico, political polarisation weakens efforts to hold authorities accountable . There is a false perception of hope when polarisation deflects criticism from those in power, weakening efforts to hold them accountable. For example, there is a new environmental regulation in Mexico City (Batres Law), which ostensibly aims to protect environmental areas but includes clauses that allow for land-use changes in conservation zones. In this sense, journalists are essential in bringing data to the public, enabling citizens to hold government officials accountable for their actions. In a polarised political climate, the role of the independent media becomes even more critical as it can cut through the rhetoric and provide factual information to the public. "It's not just about having laws and regulations in place; it's about ensuring these laws are transparent and that there are clear accountability mechanisms to enforce them. When citizens can see and understand how decisions are made and have the power to hold officials accountable, it leads to better governance and more sustainable water management practices." - Cody Copeland --- Leveraging Technology and Innovation Tamara Luengo: Technology offers numerous opportunities to improve water management, from advanced monitoring systems to data analytics that help us to understand usage patterns, detect leaks, and optimise resource allocation. Gonzalo Meschengieser: Latin America faces significant inequality and urbanisation challenges, including the provision of water to large numbers of people in informal settlements. Water scarcity is more often a crisis of management rather than the actual availability of water. Investing in research and developing new technologies is essential for creating efficient and sustainable water management systems. Innovation drives progress and can significantly reduce the impacts of water scarcity. --- The Importance of Community Engagement Emilie Dupuits: Community engagement ensures that water management initiatives address the genuine needs of the people. The active participation from communities in decision-making processes fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to more successful and sustainable outcomes. Here’s an example illustrating the complexity of dynamics at play. There is a significant challenge in providing water security to urban areas to the detriment of rural communities and often compromising the water security of rural and indigenous communities, who themselves have historically protected the vital ecosystems in catchment areas. “There is a need for justice in water security and the importance of recognising and valuing the conservation efforts of rural and indigenous communities to maintain a balanced and equitable approach.” - Emilie Dupuits Fermín Reygadas: Community engagement helps to raise awareness about water issues and encourages responsible water usage. When people understand the challenges and are involved in water management, they are more likely to support and contribute to solutions. --- Integrating Water Management with Urban Planning Jorge Arriaga: Integrating water management policies with broader urban planning and development strategies ensures that water considerations are included in all aspects of city growth. This holistic approach is necessary for creating resilient and sustainable urban environments. Tamara Luengo: Policymakers need to coordinate water resources planning with urban planning to avoid conflicts and ensure sustainable water use . Coordinated efforts between different sectors and departments are crucial to create cohesive strategies that address both water management and urban development needs. Without such integration, water policies may fail to support broader city planning objectives, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for sustainable growth. Photo: Pexels - Luis Quintero https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-gray-faucet-2339722/

En todo el mundo, los habitantes de grandes ciudades enfrentan numerosas alertas sobre posibles "días cero" en el suministro de agua. Estas alertas suelen ir acompañadas de restricciones en el consumo, como cortes de agua, y de preocupaciones sobre la calidad del agua. Si bien el cambio climático y las sequías históricas se citan con frecuencia como causas, la mala gestión y la falta de preparación son también factores significativos, aunque menos discutidos. Aún menos atención se presta a los temas de integridad y corrupción, que están en el centro de la crisis de escasez de agua en las ciudades. Surgen preguntas clave: ¿Cómo se gestionan los recursos y los fondos para prevenir o abordar la escasez de agua? ¿Quién se lleva el peso de los impactos? ¿Quién controla los datos que guían las decisiones? ¿Se asignan los recursos de manera justa, y cómo se establecen las prioridades? ¿Quién toma estas decisiones y bajo qué proceso? La Charla de Integridad 11 de WIN exploró la intersección entre la rendición de cuentas y la escasez de agua urbana en América Latina. Con la participación de: Emilie Dupuits (Universidad San Francisco de Quito) Fermín Reygadas Robles Gil (Cántaro Azul) Cody Copeland (Periodista Ambiental, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Gonzalo Meschengieser (Cámara Argentina del Agua) Tamara Luengo (Aqueducto) Moderador: Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina, Coordinador Ejecutivo, CERSHI Este resumen destaca los puntos clave de la Charla de Integridad 11, organizado por la Red de Integridad de Agua (WIN, por sus siglas en inglés) y el Centro Regional de Seguridad Hídrica de la UNESCO (CERSHI), realizado en línea el 26 de junio de 2024. --- Puntos Clave Los esfuerzos colaborativos son esenciales: Abordar la escasez de agua en áreas urbanas requiere la colaboración entre gobiernos, instituciones académicas y organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Es vital contar con políticas claras y financiamiento adecuado para apoyar estos esfuerzos. La transparencia y la rendición de cuentas construyen confianza: Las prácticas transparentes de gestión del agua (que permiten el monitoreo) y los mecanismos sólidos de rendición de cuentas (para garantizar responsabilidades claras y que estas se cumplan) son fundamentales para construir la confianza pública y garantizar el uso eficiente de los recursos. La tecnología y la innovación impulsan el progreso: Los avances en tecnología, como los sistemas de monitoreo sofisticados y el análisis de datos, ofrecen oportunidades significativas para mejorar la gestión del agua. La inversión en investigación y desarrollo debe ser una prioridad. La participación comunitaria garantiza la eficacia: Involucrar a las comunidades locales y pueblos originarios en la gestión del agua asegura que las iniciativas respondan a las necesidades reales y fomenten un sentido de pertenencia y responsabilidad. --- Abordando la Escasez de Agua a Través de la Colaboración Jorge Arriaga: La colaboración es clave para abordar la escasez hídrica en ciudades, y requiere la participación activa de gobiernos, instituciones académicas y organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Los gobiernos deben crear marcos que fomenten la colaboración, con políticas claras y financiamiento para proyectos conjuntos. Las instituciones académicas pueden aportar investigación y soluciones innovadoras, mientras que las organizaciones de la sociedad civil juegan un papel crítico en abogar por prácticas sostenibles, destacar áreas de necesidad y responsabilizar a las autoridades. Emilie Dupuits: La colaboración no solo fomenta la innovación, sino que también permite el intercambio de mejores prácticas, lo cual es crucial para abordar los complejos problemas del agua. Las soluciones basadas en la comunidad deben ser abordadas, al igual que las soluciones basadas en la naturaleza, especialmente en regiones como Ecuador, donde las comunidades locales e indígenas juegan un papel crucial en la gestión del agua. Estas comunidades gestionan el agua según principios de reciprocidad, territorialidad y cultura, a menudo de manera voluntaria. Por ejemplo, se han encargado de conservar las fuentes de agua en los páramos, probocando una mayor disponibilidad de agua potable y para las actividades productivas. Tamara Luengo: En la Ciudad de México, la escasez hídrica es más un resultado de la mala gestión que de la disponibilidad del recurso. Mejorar las prácticas de gestión podría aliviar significativamente la crisis del agua en la ciudad. --- El Papel de la Transparencia y la Rendición de Cuentas Fermín Reygadas: La transparencia en la gestión del agua es esencial para construir confianza pública y garantizar el uso eficiente de los recursos. Los mecanismos de rendición de cuentas son necesarios para ayudar en la supervisión y evaluación de la efectividad de las políticas y acciones, lo que lleva a una mejora continua. En México, a pesar de contar con buenas leyes nacionales sobre el agua, la aplicación es débil. Por ejemplo, se invierte muy poco en la inspección, sanción y monitoreo de la calidad del agua, lo que lleva a la sobreexplotación y contaminación de los recursos hídricos. El agua se extrae cada vez más de fuentes profundas, donde hay más arsénico, lo que tiene graves repercusiones para la salud. Además, existe un enfoque en inversiones rápidas, como la construcción de grandes presas, en lugar de abordar las causas fundamentales como la sobreexplotación y la contaminación. “Sin transparencia y rendición de cuentas para abordar la gestión del agua, el ciclo de prácticas ineficaces continuará.” - Fermín Reygadas Cody Copeland: Sin transparencia y rendición de cuentas, es difícil obtener el apoyo público y garantizar que las prácticas de gestión del agua sean justas y equitativas. Estos principios son fundamentales para una buena gobernanza y una gestión sostenible del agua. En México, la polarización política debilita los esfuerzos para responsabilizar a las autoridades. Ese crea una falsa percepción de esperanza y desvía las críticas de quienes están en el poder, debilitando los esfuerzos para responsabilizarlos. Por ejemplo, en la Ciudad de México, existe una nueva regulación ambiental (Ley Batres), que ostensiblemente busca proteger las áreas ambientales, pero incluye cláusulas que permiten cambios en el uso del suelo en zonas de conservación. En este sentido, los periodistas son esenciales para llevar los datos al público, permitiendo que los ciudadanos responsabilicen a los funcionarios gubernamentales por sus acciones. En un clima político polarizado, el papel de los medios independientes se vuelve aún más crítico, ya que puede desmantelar la retórica y proporcionar información factual al público. "No se trata solo de tener leyes y regulaciones; se trata de asegurar que estas leyes sean transparentes y que existan mecanismos claros de rendición de cuentas para hacerlas cumplir. Cuando los ciudadanos pueden ver y entender cómo se toman las decisiones y tienen el poder de responsabilizar a los funcionarios, se logra una mejor gobernanza y prácticas más sostenibles de gestión del agua." - Cody Copeland --- Usar la Tecnología y la Innovación Tamara Luengo: La tecnología ofrece numerosas oportunidades para mejorar la gestión hídrica, desde sistemas avanzados de monitoreo hasta análisis de datos que nos ayudan a entender los patrones de uso, detectar fugas y optimizar la asignación de recursos. Gonzalo Meschengieser: América Latina enfrenta importantes desafíos de desigualdad y urbanización, incluidos los problemas de provisión de agua a grandes cantidades de personas en asentamientos informales. La escasez hídrica es más a menudo una crisis de gestión en lugar de disponibilidad real de agua. Invertir en investigación y desarrollar nuevas tecnologías es esencial para crear sistemas de gestión del agua eficientes y sostenibles. La innovación impulsa el progreso y puede reducir significativamente los impactos de la escasez de agua. --- La Importancia de la Participación Comunitaria Emilie Dupuits: La participación comunitaria garantiza que las iniciativas de gestión del agua aborden las necesidades reales de las personas. La participación activa de las comunidades en los procesos de toma de decisiones fomenta un sentido de pertenencia y responsabilidad, lo que conduce a resultados más exitosos y sostenibles. Aquí hay un ejemplo que ilustra la complejidad de las dinámicas en juego. Existe un desafío significativo en garantizar la seguridad hídrica en áreas urbanas a expensas de las comunidades rurales, lo que a menudo compromete la seguridad hídrica de las comunidades rurales e indígenas, que han protegido históricamente los ecosistemas vitales en las áreas de captación. “Es necesario asegurar la justicia en la seguridad hídrica y la importancia de reconocer y valorar los esfuerzos de conservación de las comunidades rurales e indígenas para mantener un enfoque equilibrado y equitativo.” - Emilie Dupuits Fermín Reygadas: La participación comunitaria ayuda a crear conciencia sobre los problemas del agua y fomenta el uso responsable de la misma. Cuando las personas entienden los desafíos y participan en la gestión del agua, es más probable que apoyen y contribuyan a las soluciones. --- Integrando la Gestión del Agua con la Planificación Urbana Jorge Arriaga: Integrar las políticas de gestión del agua con estrategias más amplias de planificación y desarrollo urbano asegura que las consideraciones sobre el agua estén incluidas en todos los aspectos del crecimiento de la ciudad. Este enfoque holístico es necesario para crear entornos urbanos resilientes y sostenibles. Tamara Luengo: Los responsables de formular políticas deben coordinar la planificación de los recursos hídricos con la planificación urbana para evitar conflictos y garantizar un uso sostenible del agua. Los esfuerzos coordinados entre los diferentes sectores y departamentos son cruciales para crear estrategias cohesivas que aborden tanto las necesidades de gestión del agua como las de desarrollo urbano. Sin dicha integración, las políticas de agua pueden no respaldar los objetivos más amplios de la planificación urbana, lo que lleva a ineficiencias y oportunidades perdidas para un crecimiento sostenible. Foto: Pexels - Luis Quintero https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-gray-faucet-2339722/

Iniciando una nueva estrategia con avances y promesas  READ ARTICLE IN ENGLISH "El mensaje es claro. Debemos cambiar de rumbo para lograr el acceso universal al agua y al saneamiento."  -António Guterres, Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas, en Blueprint for Acceleration: Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation 2023. La integridad es fundamental en los sectores del agua y el saneamiento, ya que la corrupción y la mala gestión pueden afectar gravemente a la prestación de servicios y a la preparación ante catástrofes hídricas, contribuyendo a crisis sanitarias y a la degradación medioambiental. Al promover la integridad a través de la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas, WIN asegura que los recursos se utilicen de manera eficiente y equitativa, contribuyendo a garantizar el acceso al agua potable y al saneamiento para todos. En 2023, la Red de Integridad del Agua (WIN, por sus siglas en inglés) comenzó a trabajar en su nueva estrategia en un contexto de una crisis climática creciente y graves catástrofes relacionadas con el agua, así como de deterioro de la democracia y el espacio cívico en todo el mundo. Estas preocupantes tendencias hacen aún más importante la labor de la WIN y sus socios. En un sector profundamente afectado por el cambio climático, la transparencia, la rendición de cuentas, la participación y las actividades de anticorrupción pueden generar confianza y hacer que se produzcan nuevos avances. A través de una combinación de investigación, capacitación, desarrollo de herramientas y programas nacionales de gran impacto, WIN y sus socios han sentado las bases para lograr mejoras sostenibles a largo plazo. Agradecemos a nuestros socios por su trabajo y colaboración en la promoción de una gobernanza limpia y honesta en los sectores de agua y saneamiento. También agradecemos a nuestros donantes y seguidores por hacer posible nuestro trabajo. Aspectos Clave de 2023 Liderazgo de pensamiento e investigación: comprensión de las complejidades de los riesgos de integridad en nuevas áreas de los sectores de agua y saneamiento El compromiso de WIN con la investigación está abriendo nuevas áreas de investigación para comprender mejor cómo los sectores del agua y el saneamiento sufren la corrupción y cuál es la mejor manera de abordar los riesgos. Los nuevos trabajos sobre saneamiento, en particular el Saneamiento Urbano Inclusivo y la regulación del saneamiento, identificaron riesgos de integridad únicos. La investigación sentará las bases de herramientas, formación y aportaciones sobre gestión de riesgos para la integridad, previstas para 2024. En respuesta a las peticiones de los socios, WIN también puso en marcha una investigación clave sobre la integridad en la financiación del agua y saneamiento, incluida la financiación climática y cuestiones clave como la financiación mixta y el uso indebido de fondos , en preparación del lanzamiento del próximo Water Integrity Global Outlook . “[Estos son] conocimientos que puedo utilizar con los responsables de la toma de decisiones para lograr un cambio en los asentamientos informales”. -Participante del curso en línea Integridad en los asentamientos informales en la evaluación de final de curso. Capacitación y desarrollo de habilidades: formación de campeones de la integridad La formación sigue siendo uno de los pilares de la estrategia de WIN, con más de 500 participantes en diversos cursos en línea organizados con Cap-Net sobre aspectos básicos de la integridad en el sector del agua y la prestación de servicios en asentamientos informales . Estas formaciones básicas, junto con la formación de nuevos usuarios en herramientas de gestión de la integridad, están capacitando a una red de defensores de integridad entre los profesionales del sector del agua y saneamiento. Desarrollo de herramientas: equipando a profesionales del sector del agua y saneamiento para la evaluación y gestión de riesgos de integridad WIN ha impulsado el desarrollo de herramientas de datos críticos como el Marco para la Integridad en la Planificación de Infraestructuras (FIIP, por sus siglas en inglés) y el Índice de Riesgo de Integridad del Agua (WIRI, por sus siglas en inglés) . Estas herramientas ayudan a identificar y mitigar los riesgos de integridad en los proyectos y la contratación de infraestructuras de agua. También, pueden orientar los programas de reforma. WIN también consolidó InWASH , una caja de herramientas de integridad para que las empresas de servicios públicos conozcan las prácticas y oportunidades en materia de integridad y desarrollen un plan de acción práctico. Esta herramienta se utiliza actualmente a través de América Latina. En 2023, WIN trabajó con empresas de servicios públicos y pequeños sistemas de suministro de agua que, en conjunto, se calcula que llegan a 13,076 millones de personas. -Informe anual de WIN de 2023 Programas nacionales: impulsar la integridad desde el ámbito local al nacional Los programas nacionales de WIN en Kenia, Bangladesh y México han logrado avances significativos. En Kenia, una nueva estrategia de cuatro años se centra en la acción colectiva, la integración de herramientas de integridad en modelos de gobernanza y el fortalecimiento de la gobernanza financiera climática. Los socios kenianos también ampliaron su trabajo utilizando el IMT-SWSS. En Bangladesh, una nueva estrategia y nuevos socios están enfocados en fortalecer la capacidad de las organizaciones comunitarias para la promoción y mejora de servicios a través de la integridad. La investigación sobre el Saneamiento Urbano Inclusivo también se basa en gran medida en la experiencia y el trabajo de los socios en Bangladesh. En México, el trabajo se ha centrado en mejorar los servicios de agua y saneamiento, especialmente para grupos marginados, mediante una gestión mejorada y asociaciones sólidas con actores locales. El Plan de Justicia Hídrica, o Agenda Chiapas, es una rama del trabajo liderado por socios y líderes indígenas de comunidades en la región, con el objetivo de asegurar que los candidatos electorales asuman compromisos relevantes para abordar sus necesidades. También se llevó a cabo trabajo con empresas de servicios públicos y reguladores en Perú, Ecuador, Honduras, Argentina y Bolivia , con el apoyo del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. Y eso no es todo, WIN ha puesto la integridad del agua en la agenda de importantes foros internacionales y continuará haciéndolo en 2024 y más allá. Y eso no es todo, WIN ha puesto la integridad del agua en la agenda de importantes foros internacionales. Continuará haciéndolo en 2024 y más allá. Mientras WIN sigue catalizando una cultura de integridad, su apoyo es crucial. Juntos, podemos prevenir y combatir la corrupción, mejorar la prestación de servicios y garantizar el uso sostenible de los recursos hídricos frente a desafíos globales. Únase a la red como socio para compartir su compromiso . O contáctenos para co-desarrollar o apoyar nuevos programas de investigación y de países. Lea más sobre la promoción, investigación y programas de socios de WIN en el Informe Anual 2023 (en inglés):

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:

Today, in Bali, while around 3 000 delegates were attending a range of sessions at the 10th World Water Forum, the police shut down the People’s Water Forum, a gathering of civil society organisations from around the world.   For years, a range of civil society organisations have met in parallel to the World Water Forum to discuss their issues and concerns, including on privatisation in water and sanitation and possible alternatives.   Why then has this year’s gathering of civil society been shut down?  Organisers of the People’s Water Forum reported that they have been harassed and intimidated, and finally blocked from entering the venue where they were due to meet. They were apparently told by the police that the People’s Water Forum could not be allowed to run in parallel to the World Water Forum. And yet both have run at the same time several times in the past without incident, for example during the 9th World Water Forum in Senegal and previously.   This raises significant concerns about the closing of civic space in Indonesia, and the difficult conditions in which civil society already operates. Several studies conducted by human rights organisations and think tanks in recent years have noted the shrinking of civic space in Indonesia. This action is further evidence of this trend.   The delivery of water and sanitation to all cannot take place without the involvement of civil society, and without the most affected people at the table.    We are committed to the right to freedom of expression, to the right to associate, and we call on the Government of Indonesia to immediately allow the People’s Water Forum to continue to meet.    We also call on the World Water Forum to engage immediately with the Government of Indonesia to allow the People’s Water Forum to continue.     Water Integrity Network   African Civil Society Network for Water (ANEW)   End Water Poverty Water Witness International United Youth for Peace Education Transparency and Development in Liberia Shahidi wa Maji Voices for Just Climate Action Alliance (VCA) Action contre la Faim France Coalition Eau Fundación Cántaro Azul A.C. (México) Combined Harare Residents Association Access editable version and add your organisation: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19pRit1d7Uo1E0pMdqtJhbanyD4iTMYYUqc_TPwcvMis/edit?usp=sharing Find out more from the event organisers: Indonesian Water Defenders Under Siege in Bali – The People's Water Forum ( thepeopleswaterforum.org )

The Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) framework has been introduced to ensure that sanitation services are provided in a safe, sustainable and reliable way in cities, particularly to vulnerable groups. Contrary to previous approaches that tend to focus on incrementally extending the centralised sewerage network, CWIS puts forward both sewered and non-sewered systems and focuses on sustainable service. In this integrity talk, we discussed how CWIS is working in practice and how different actors are taking on board the framework. We focused on integrity, responsibilities, regulation and what we can do to enable long-term change. This is an edited summary of the main discussion points of Integrity Talk 9 on Citywide Inclusive Sanitation, which took place online on November 29, 2023. See other Integrity Talk summaries here . With special guests: Dr. Christoph Lüthi, EAWAG-SANDEC; Claire Grisaffi, Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP); Bill Twyman, AguaConsult; Tanvir Ahmed, ITN-BUET; Rohini Pradeep, CDD Society. Moderated by Ivan Zupan, Water Integrity Network (WIN). KEY TAKEAWAYS CWIS is a powerful and useful framework – it makes it possible to reframe sanitation in a positive and innovative manner, without stigma. Its flexibility and focus on principles, rather than solutions, make it particularly adaptable. It is however not straightforward to implement. It requires long-term commitment and investment. Above all it requires new ways of thinking and doing sanitation work, along with adequate new capacity and dedicated people working collaboratively across the sector. Integrity is an important component of CWIS work and is embedded in CWIS functions (particularly under accountability, resource planning, and management). It is especially needed to: define clear responsibilities for all stakeholders and build accountability along the entire sanitation value chain; ensure that poor integrity and shadow systems don’t undermine impressive developments in regulatory work; safeguard available resources and attract new ones; build community trust and engagement, ensuring acceptability. SUMMARY What is Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) and why does it matter? Christoph Lüthi (EAWAG-SANDEC):  The global water crisis manifests in different areas as too little water, too much water, or too dirty water. In response, CWIS is the dominant paradigm for achieving safe sanitation for urban context. CWIS is not new and it’s not a set approach. It’s a framework for solutions where all members of the city have equitable access to adequate and affordable improved sanitation services through, appropriate systems of all scales (sewered and non-sewered), without any contamination to the environment along the entire sanitation value chain.   In the last two years, we’ve seen an increasing number of pilot implementations and moves to operationalise CWIS. This includes work on ways to measure progress. For example, to measure progress on equity, indicators can include: percentage of population with access to improved sanitation or shared sanitation, or the percentage of the population living in informal settlements with access to improved sanitation. None of this is prescriptive. It’s a guide for action that most large funders are aligning with. What do you see as the main implications of CWIS for utilities? How are service providers taking the framework on board? Claire Grisaffi (WSUP): We've seen that the CWIS framework is a powerful concept. It has made investment into promotion of non-sewered solutions much more politically palatable and it also embeds the understanding that high quality faecal sludge management can provide safe sanitation and even be prestigious. For utilities, there are still two major challenges to implementation: The whole new way of working to manage non-networked services and the very different capacities needed to do so. In many cases, service providers are not providing direct services like they are used to, but managing multiple formal and informal service providers. They also have to build trust and manage expectations and social norms around safe sanitation, with limited public funding. The need to balance often conflicting aims for universal access to sanitation and commercial viability. There is an assumption that market mechanisms can work and that low-cost sanitation services can be developed. What we’re seeing is that providing safe sanitation – safe for households, safe for workers, safe for society at large – has a high cost, even more so in lower income areas due to difficult access and poor-quality containment. As implementing partners, we also must seriously reflect on our own integrity and the approaches we are promoting. Are we overly optimistic about the potential of the private sector? Are we transparent about what financially viable services really mean and how that can imply a sustainable level of subsidy? Are we thinking enough about the weight placed on utilities to reach universal access? We’ve seen the importance of developing trust, the importance of local management. And in terms of design of services, we’ve seen how important it is to actually demonstrate what safe sanitation service looks like. Because for many people, it’s horrific and shameful. You have to understand how this is viewed by communities.  -Claire Grisaffi, WSUP What do we know about regulating for CWIS? What can we learn from Zambia? Bill Twyman (AguaConsult): Across the continent there is a bias in regulation towards water supply only. Zambia doesn’t entirely escape this trend but is still at the forefront of many developments for regulation of urban sanitation. Zambia stands out for its independent regulatory agency (National Water Supply and Sanitation Council, NWASCO) and the impressive and wide range of regulatory instruments in place, also for non-sewered sanitation. There are also some regulatory functions that are in a sense shared with the Lusaka Water Sanitation Company, which acts as a bridge to smaller service providers. This doesn’t mean the Zambian sanitation sector is immune to corruption and poor integrity. In our research, we came across a number of cases – from bribery, nepotism and misuse of per diems to allegations of large-scale corruption in procurement and management of major internationally funded programmes. Recommendations to improve and strengthen regulation include e-procurement, better data collection, public reporting on integrity and integrity failures. We need to pay attention and understand this shadow system better. There is no doubt that in countries with no dedicated regulatory actors and weaker regulatory systems, the issues related to poor integrity will be much more perverse and far more widespread. -Bill Twyman, Aguaconsult On a broader level, we see many weaknesses in the regulatory environment, in relation to autonomy, capacity coordination, and accountability. We also see weaknesses in the application of integrity mechanisms: standards monitoring, reporting incentive sanctions or more specific mechanisms relating to governance, human resources, or project execution. There’s a lot we could be doing to reduce the opportunities for corruption. Generally, you see better regulator performance when there is a dedicated agency, but that’s not the case in every context. Tanvir Ahmed (ITN-BUET): In cases where there are a lot of utilities or a lot of private operators, regulation through an agency may be easier but in other cases maybe not. In Bangladesh, an independent regulatory agency is not an option. But CWIS does bring out notions of accountability and responsibility. It has regulation almost built in through the principles. Claire Grisaffi (WSUP): A good example we see isn’t about passive adaptation to new regulation. That doesn’t work. Utilities have to lean into the discussion on what’s working and what’s not. They see low demand, low profit margins and the need for a long-term change process, meaning it will be typically deprioritised. As a consequence, regulation pushing on-site sanitation just doesn’t get implemented. A good practice is for utilities to have units or dedicated staff or dedicated budget lines, even if they are tiny, just to make sure that you actually have that accountability and visibility of service.   How can we then create an enabling environment for CWIS? What can we learn from Bangladesh for the mainstreaming of CWIS? Tanvir Ahmed (ITN-BUET): Dhaka has very low coverage for sewerage and a sewerage system that hasn’t expanded over time with the city. Only 1.2% of the households are connected to sewers. The city, with 20 million people, has only one sewerage treatment plant. Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) was never in any city plans. This is the backdrop for the CWIS and how it has to evolve in Bangladesh. What we see across the country is programmes in small cities that are exemplary in relation to individual CWIS principles. Faridipur City has worked on awareness raising and equity and has women-led treatment operations; Sakhipur has closed the loop on managing the entire sanitation service chain, Khulna has set performance targets with a clear inclusive mandate. These examples have yet to be replicated and scaled up. We are still using traditional approaches to planning and implementation. For CWIS to work and for the 216+ municipalities that are still unserved or have no Faecal Sludge Treatmpent Plant (FSTP), we need a strong collaborative ecosystem. As a first step, the country developed an institutional regulatory framework for Faecal Sludge Mangement (FSM) which outlines who the sanitation stakeholders are and what their relationship is. We have the ministry on top, the local government institutions to implement, and the agencies to support sanitation investments. The next step is a regulatory mechanism for sanitation. ITN-BUET focuses on capacity building for all actors. It is especially crucial to prioritise capacity building at the local level. There’s a realisation there that focusing on implementers is not enough. Mayors and city officials have become important stakeholders. We have to make them realise that citywide inclusive sanitation is a change of mind-set. That it’s not only infrastructure. That it is also means service. People think of a toilet but it’s a combination of everything. -Tanvir Ahmed, ITN-BUET Christoph Lüthi (EAWAG-SANDEC): Around the principle of mixed technologies and mixed systems, we are still getting a lot of pushback. And that has a lot to do with old-school engineering thinking about ‘one-size fits all’ or ‘we want sewers for our city’. Many utility managers want sewers. That can actually create delays and issues in project implementation. Political will is central.   How is it working in practice? What can we learn from India about project implementation? Rohini Pradeep (CDD Society): When looking at CWIS principles, we must think in terms of public service. How do we strengthen service by bringing in responsibility, accountability, and better resource planning, in order to ensure high levels of equity and sustainability. Integrity is clearly key. It underpins trust-building and community engagement, it encourages equitable access, transparency on the use of funds, better accounting, capacity building, and regulation. What we see very often in our work is community toilets that are not or poorly maintained, or where usage is very low. There are many factors contributing to this situation. Poor and unintegrated planning and siting is one. Unclear or clashing responsibilities and insufficient capacity is another. When there are delays because of limited resources or unclear responsibilities and multiple service providers, people will bypass formal solutions, resort to private contractors, or connect themselves however they can. We’ve seen examples where one truck is used for multiple activities in the process of collecting waste then desledging. It created delays and pushed people elsewhere when cooperation between stakeholders could have been beneficial for everyone. One other big concern is financing. When no provisions are made for operation and maintenance (O&M) upfront, local municipalities will have to put up funds. But sanitation is usually then at the bottom of the list of priorities. There are a number of interesting initiatives being piloted, for example performance-based contracts for service delivery, subsidy programmes, quotas of low-income users for each providers. Most of these rely on strong community engagement for success. Integrity is key to this, especially the inclusion of all stakeholders in planning. Clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each party involved and resourcing these adequately is the next crucial step.   RECORDING