The role of local government in achieving the MDGs for water and sanitation

Local Government was one of the three major themes at the WASH Forum. The sessions on this theme were chaired by Vice-Minister Carmen Arevalo of Colombia and Mauricio Pardon, director of CEPIS-OPS in Peru. The sessions were facilitated by Ton Schouten and Patrick Moriarty of IRC. Some 50 people participated in the sessions that were spread over three days. The sessions were a mix of presentations and group work. The discussions were dynamic and the final synthesis entails thorough analysis and good recommendations. The three themes discussed during the sessions were:

• Risks and Rewards of Involving Local Government
• Decentralised Institutional Frameworks
• Coordination at Local Level

The content of the background paper for the local government session was based on the outcomes of regional meetings that were organised by the WSSCC to prepare the global WASH Forum. The background paper was written by Ton Schouten and Patrick Moriarty. For more information you can also consult the website of the WSSCC.

Synthesis and Recommendations coming out of the Local Government stream WASH Forum

Given that:

• Local government is the key to the sustainability of water and sanitation (including sewerage) services; neither central government nor communities can do this on their own.
• Local government has often been made responsible for the provision of water supply and sanitation services but has seldom been empowered to do so: provided with the appropriate resources, capacities and formal responsibilities.
• Critical pre-conditions for end-users (which include women as decision makers) and stakeholder participation include among others: access to adequate information, open and timely communication, awareness creation, reinforcement of citizenship, honesty and transparency. 
• Checks and balances, incentives and disincentives are needed both from the level of end users and communities as well as from the level of national government to ensure that local government performs its role effectively and honestly.

We believe that to achieve universal coverage of WASH services in a sustainable manner, local government must be strengthened:

• within a clear national policy and institutional framework that defines and directs the roles and functions of government entities at different levels, as well as of communities and operators
• within a philosophy of accountability towards end users, communities and other stakeholders
• within a vision of WASH services as a catalyst to wider local development and poverty reduction
• within a sound financial and managerial structure ensuring pro-poor tariff systems that guarantees investment sustainability

Local government needs support and a limited transition phase to be able to fulfil its role.  Empowering local government can only be done:

• with the commitment and under the effective leadership of government and demonstrated political will 
• with coordination and harmonisation among all stakeholders that avoids the creation of parallel structures of funding and/or operation
• as part of a learning by doing approach and building on the experiences of a country’s WASH sector.
• within an institutional  framework that allows and encourages the flexibility to develop locally appropriate solutions and break down barriers between sectors  (within an integrated water resource management approach), agencies and institutional levels.

If achievements in improved WASH services are to remain sustainable then at least 10% of the funds made available for achieving the WASH MDGs must go into strengthening local governance.