About the E-conference on Transparency

How can transparency be improved and honesty ensured? How can corruption be eliminated? These are the questions this e-conference attempts to answer. The focus is on finding and mainstreaming solutions. 

Some people, even those who strongly support efforts to improve the situation, are afraid of this topic. However, this e-conference is NOT meant to expose particular people or blame a particular institution. It is not a policing effort. We think that it is useful to search for solutions and actions that can make the water sector transparent and honest at every level.

What might you expect from participating in this e-conference?  At minimum, the communication should be interesting. You may also find new contacts and like-minded colleagues, new ideas and strategies. Perhaps participating in this electronic conference might also support you in developing effective actions in the future.

We plan to divide this e-conference into 3 parts:

• Up to 5 days, depending on the level of interest, of general discussion about the issues. This should help clarify what we are talking about.
• Up to 5 days, depending on the interest, focusing on positive experiences and tools that have improved transparency, increased honesty and/or reduced corruption in the water sector. Sanitation programming could also be included.
• Concluding days which look at the way forward:  activities, strategies, coalitions and thematic groupings for which there might be interest.

This e-conference is organized by: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, based in Delft, Netherlands. 

Facilitators are:  Kathleen Shordt; Laurent Stravato; Marielle Snel; Ewen Leborgne; Cor Dietvorst of IRC. 

The information from the e-conference may be used in other conferences such as the Stockholm World Water Week conference in August 2005 and the IRC Learning Alliances symposium of June 2005.