Expanding Services to the Urban Poor: Global Lessons Glenn Pearce-Oroz Sr. Regional Team Leader Latin America & the Caribbean 5 th World Water Forum Istanbul 2009

2 Urban Poor  Nearly 1 in 3 city dwellers (~1 billion people) live in informal settlements Secondary Cities & Peri Urban Areas  About 75% of population growth will be in cities of less than 5 million  Number of towns with population under 200,000 in Africa, Asia, and Latin America expected to double within 15 years Large Numbers Of Those Who Lack Access Live In Urban Areas Source: World Development Indicators; World Bank estimates Challenges Rapidly Expanding Urban Population

3 Differences between regions… Source: Baker, Urban Poverty: A Global View (2008)

4 Population in millions 50% in 5 largest Nigeria Ethiopia RDC South Africa Tanzania 75% in 13 largest + Kenya Sudan Uganda Ghana Mozambique Madagascar Cameroon Cote d'Ivoire 90% in 22 largest + Angola Burkina Faso Zimbabwe Mali Malawi Niger Senegal Zambia Rwanda …and diversity within Regions: Africa WSS Challenge

5 Financing Gap Growing urban populations are widening the WSS financing gap  Estimated annual need for investment and maintenance over $110 billion Source: World Bank estimates Private sector investment in infrastructure is increasing, but not in Water

6 Is it only about resources? Note: No Project are sanctioned for Parking Lots/ Spaces & Prevention and Rehabilitation of Soil Erosion Source: Gov of India, April 2008

7 What are the other obstacles? What are existing successful practices? How to channel knowledge to the front lines?

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9 How were Guidance Notes developed Consultations with Urban Poor Review of global initiatives that have been successful in improving services to the poor Consultations with other stakeholders Guidance Notes on services for the urban poor They Include: Guidance Notes Assessment of barriers Practical actions and strategies for Policy Makers and Project Planners Governance Bodies and Service Providers Advocates and Civil Society Organisations International Case Studies 19 case studies Resources Relevant publications and organizations

10 Obstacles to Improving Services Promote meaningful participation in planning and design Publish/acknowledge stories of the poor Inform & educate poor communities Empower poor to act beyond their communities No Voice for the Poor 1 Vested Interests 2 Administrative and Legal Barriers 3 Incorporate informal service providers into the solution De-link service provision from land tenure Institutionalize simplified procedures and provide assistance

11 Obstacles to Improving Services Low Capacity, Little Autonomy and Accountability of Service Providers 4 Separate and clarify the responsibilities of the actors Recognize and work with alternate service providers Introduce accountability mechanisms Build capacity Lack of Appropriate Financial Policies 5 Physical and Technical Barriers 6 Adopt realistic cost recovery policies and targeted subsidies Subsidize investments, not consumption Restructure charges and payment practices to accommodate poor households ability to pay Provide finance for small scale providers Protect water resources Alternate technology and delivery systems

12 Practical actions and strategies… Water Kiosk Operators Unite in Nairobi, Kenya Strategy Incorporate Informal Service Providers into the Solution Practical action Obstacle Vested interest by some actors prevent better services for the poor Vested Interests 2 Results Over 350 kiosk operators formed association to negotiate with NWC What was done? How was it done? What made it work?

13 Practical actions and strategies… Strategy Enabling policy environment through Organizational restructuring to build capacity of service provider and increase interface with community Practical action Systematic public meetings at the neighborhood level Embed Social Development Unit in Water Board, Proof of occupancy instead of formal tenure documents for new connections,in Banglaore, Karnataka, India Obstacle Results 46 poor communities, of which more than half have successfully connected For the utility increased consumer and revenue base, regularized illegal connections, and reduced non-revenue water. For the slum dwellers better quality of water supply, increased customer responsiveness What was done? How was it done? What made it work? Low Capacity, Little Autonomy and Accountability of Service Providers 4 How to introduce accountability mechanisms and build capacity

14 Getting Started  Policy makers  Authorize alternative documentation requirement for connections to the poor  Make information available to poor in easy formats  Service providers  Hire informal vendors to work with the utility for expanding services and ensuring cost recovery  Create user-friendly units to promote services to the poor  Community based organizations  Assist poor residents to obtain necessary documentation for connections

15  How to link global learnings to front line service providers  Between service providers  Between countries  Between regions