Setting the scene on accountability
Provides an overview of current problems on accountability, their impacts, and some short term goals (intermediate outcomes), priority actions and ultimate visions in moving towards change.
Current problems and impacts on Accountability
An overview of current problems and their impacts, some short term goals (intermediate outcomes), priority actions and ultimate vision.
3.1 Cost of corruption in the WASH sector
An unrecognised cost of delivering decentralised WASH services is corruption. Recently it has become more widely recognised that the WASH sector has a corruption issue it needs to confront (see Global Corruption Report, Transparency International, 2008). Corruption can occur at all points along a ‘value chain’ that stretches from donors and financiers, through national government and sector agencies to local governments and the frontline where utilities, communities and contractors are working to keep the taps running and toilets functioning.
3.2 Access to WASH information
Access to information on sector performance is vital for financial accountability. Financial accountability in WASH means that people who are entrusted with money from various sources and for various activities are held to account on how that money is used and with what effect. It requires information to be published on all aspects of performance. Sector performance monitoring is improving but there are still questions over whether coverage data are reliable enough or tells us enough about quality of service. Data are also prone to manipulation at the cost of accountability.
3.3 Strengthening systems of accountability: state of the art approaches
A current area of much interest in the sector has been promoting citizens or consumer voice type activities to strengthen the demand for accountability, to put pressure on service providers to perform from below. The central idea is that if people better know their rights, and how to express these rights, government agencies (including service providers) will have to be more responsive. Mechanisms to strengthen the short arm of accountability (between service providers and consumers) include citizens voice processes, community score and report cards, and the use of cost /input monitoring. Weaknesses in existing procurement systems and problems associated with competitive tendering are also a challenge.
