3 Accountability and sustainability of rural water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Timor-Leste

Authors: Alex Grumbley, Stéphanie Hamel

Sustaining rural water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Timor-Leste has proven to be a challenge. Accountability between stakeholders within the rural WASH sector is a critical part of improving sustainability of the related infrastructure. Government policy and the actions of implementers is critical to improving accountability.  Research undertaken by Plan in Timor-Leste establishes the link between accountability and sustainability within the sector and identifies current constraints to accountability.  This paper then reviews progress on changes made to accountability mechanisms within the sector and the challenges to implementing these changes.