Session 7 Development of a Water Sector Integrity Vulnerability Mitigation Plan Maria Jacobson, UNDP Water Governance Facility, SIWI Marie Laberge, UNDP Oslo Governance Centre
Design of a prioritized anti-corruption plan for the water sector: Experiences from Uganda
Water Integrity Workshop 2 day workshop to validate the findings, develop an action plan and secure a commitment to action from the concerned institutions 100+ participants ranging from Minister of State, senior MWE leadership, representatives from anti-corruption and oversight agencies such as the Auditor General, local government officials, utility staff, local and international civil society; media, private sector, as well as international development partners
Water Integrity Workshop Day1 Presentation of findings by consultants, statements by respondent groups to validate the findings publicly and agree to take action Presentation of anti-corruption tools to stimulate practical action Day 2 Multi stakeholder group work based on six thematic areas; select two recommendations per group, assign roles and responsibilities, timeframe
Implementation of the Action Plan Action Plan endorsed by WSS Sector Working Group, the highest government decision-making body in the sector at Annual Joint Sector Review, and in line with requirements, sub-sectors are now reporting progress on a quarterly basis Oversight Role of the MWE Multistakeholder Good Governance Working Group (Important role for CSOs membership)
Lessons Learnt The high level participation by senior Ugandan government officials ensured discussions were meaningful, proposed actions were endorsed and ownership for follow-up at all levels of the water services sector would take place Important to involve stakeholders from day one due to sensitivity of corruption
The PACTIV framework for developing water integrity plans Building blockWhyType of action 1. Political leadership Mobilize support from political leaders & engage them as AC actors Record & publicly display commitments of support made by politicians 2. AccountabilityReform political & judicial institutions to reduce discretion & increase integrity Strengthen independent auditing 3. CapacityStrengthen capacity of public institutions & civil society Support independent data collection & diagnostic by civil society
The PACTIV framework for developing water integrity plans Building blockWhyType of action 4. TransparencyEncourage openness and freedom of information to allow for disclosure of illicit behavior Publicly display (in newspapers & in villages) of information on water contracts & accounts 5. ImplementationPut existing reforms and AC tools into action Imposing judicial & economic sanctions on culprits 6. VoiceStrengthen channels for water users, public officials & private employees to voice discontent and report corruption Introduce whistleblower programmes in utilities & public agencies
Sharing an example of a mitigation plan in the WSS sub-sector: The Ugandan experience Can we apply the PACTIV framework?
Planning ahead 1.Planning Who should be consulted in developing the plan - the research team only or a consultative workshop? Closed or public event? How to prioritize which recommendations to take forward (given limited human & financial resources)? Who will be responsible for signing off on the plan? What are the risks related to the implementation of the plan & how can they be addressed? 2. Implementation Who will be responsible for obtaining full political commitment to support the implementation of the plan? Who will be responsible for securing funding for the implementation of the plan?
Planning ahead 3. Monitoring How to monitor the implementation of the plan? Who should be involved? Who should be responsible for reporting on the implementation of the plan? When, how often & how will the reporting be done? How will institutions be held accountable on their commitments? What steps will be taken to inform consumers and the general public of the results of the plan?