Ghana Good governance for water, sanitation and hygiene services Achieving pro-poor decentralised services that are sustainable.

Ghana

Good governance for water, sanitation and hygiene services

Achieving pro-poor decentralised services that are sustainable

Objectives of this presentation

To address the following

What is governance?

What is good governance?

What is water governance?

What is local governance for water, sanitation and hygiene services?

What are the key elements of a service?

How is good governance put into practice for WASH services?

Definition of governance

There are many definitions of governance

Some place more emphasis on the role of government

Others focus on the interaction between different role players and the need for co-operation

Most definitions refer to decision making and how this takes place in relation to public goods and services

Most recognise that governance is much more than government

What is governance?

Governance is about the processes by which decisions are made and implemented

It is the result of interactions, relationships and networks between the different sectors (government, public sector, private sector and civil society) to ensure optimal services

It involves decisions, negotiation, and different power relations between stakeholders to determine who gets what, when and how.

Governance stakeholders Governance involves more than government -

many stakeholders are involved

All those with a legitimate interest in the outcome of a decision-making process have a right to be involved

Stakeholders include communities, governmental organisations such as municipalities, utilities and other state owned entities, as well as service providers, capacity building organisations, NGOs, contributors of finance, the users of services and organisations that support them.

Systems of governance Systems of governance range from centralised,

top down approaches to those that are more decentralised and participatory

Increasingly WASH services are being decentralised

Good governance for WASH services will therefore require participatory approaches that are shaped by stakeholders and their relationships at the local level

What is good governance? Good governance involves constructive co-

operation between the different sectors where the result is:

efficient use of resources

responsible use of power, and

effective and sustainable service provision

Good governance emerges when stakeholders engage and participate with each other in an inclusive, transparent and accountable manner to accomplish better services free of corruption and abuse, and within the rule of law

Good governance?

This photo is from South Africa, taken in October 2007

Police were brought in to manage community protest

over poor services in the Western Cape

Good governance?Good governance?Good governance?Good governance?

Inclusive of all members of

society

Public finance for decentralization

and accountability

Strengthening civil society Protection of

human rights

Transparency, equity,

accountability

Promotion of democracy

Decentralisation

Gender mainstreamin

g

Fair legislation

Responsive services

Consensus about society’s best interests

Protection of the

environment

Commitment to good governance

Countries need to create their own good governance frameworks, through locally led participatory processes.

“Without ‘good’, or at least ‘good enough’, governance the fight against poverty cannot be won.” (1)

(1) Dfid, 2007: Governance, Development and Democratic Politics: DFID’s work in building more effective states

What is water governance? Water governance is the set of systems that control

decision-making of water management and water service delivery

Water governance is about who gets what water, when and how

Water governance is profoundly political particularly where there is competition for limited water resources

Systems of water governance usually reflect the political and cultural realities at national, provincial and local levels

More effective water governance Needs to address:

Policy and legislative frameworks that protect water resources and ensure water for social and

economic development

Policy and legislative frameworks that protect water resources and ensure water for social and

economic development

Institutions for water management that facilitate participation of all stakeholders in a transparent,

accountable, gender sensitive and equitable manner

Institutions for water management that facilitate participation of all stakeholders in a transparent,

accountable, gender sensitive and equitable manner

Decisions making mechanisms and regulation that achieve responsible use of political power,

optimal use of resources, sustainable development and ecological sustainability

Decisions making mechanisms and regulation that achieve responsible use of political power,

optimal use of resources, sustainable development and ecological sustainability

Good water governance requires a multi-dimensional approach

Multi-jurisdictional engagement (local, municipal, provincial, national, international)

Multi-purpose development

Multi-sector planning

Multi-sector management

Multi-stakeholder institutions

Multi-purpose support and regulation

What is local governance? Local governance is the set of:

policy frameworks structures mechanisms relationships and decision making

that takes place at the local level to deliver a service Local governance varies from country to country

It depends upon the constitution, policy and legislation of a country

The greater decentralisation, the more developed local governance frameworks are likely to be

National Framework: constitutional, policy, legislative

and fiscal environment

Enabling policy frameworks

Mechanisms for participation, responsiveness, equity, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability

Collaborative stakeholder relationships

Participatory decision making processes

Inclusive implementation processes

Efficient, effective and responsive services

Good local governance

According to the Water Budget Speech all sorts of arrangements have been made to improve water

governance which will allow “communities to participate in

their own development”

According to the Water Budget Speech all sorts of arrangements have been made to improve water

governance which will allow “communities to participate in

their own development”

Getting governance right

What is local governance for water, sanitation and hygiene services?

It is the decisions, processes and relationships governing WASH services at the local level

It involves all stakeholders who have an interest or role in WASH services, including the public, private and civil society sectors

Because water is key to development, local governance of WASH involves all those stakeholders involved in integrated development

Ghana

Water Sanitation

Hygiene

National policy and legislative framework

WASH

Local Governance

Local governance for WASH services

WASH governance is broader than water, sanitation and hygiene

Integrated Development

Water

Electricity

Sanitation and Hygiene

HousingTransport

Waste management

Health

WASH governance is part of governance for local integrated development

WASH governance is part of governance for local integrated development

Good governance for sustainable WASH services

Good governance for sustainable WASH services includes all the relationships, mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which stakeholders can mediate their interests, exercise their rights and obligations and make decisions for the delivery and provision of services

Good governanceGood governanceGood governanceGood governance

Advocacy and communication to promote WASH services so that communities can express demand and make choices

Structures for participatory strategic planning where all stakeholders come together to make good decisions

Financial mechanisms which include cost recovery and innovative methods of finance

Sharing knowledge and information to empower local stakeholders to participate in problem solving, planning and strategic decision making and to improve their capacity to act

for sustainable WASH services means:

Good governanceGood governanceGood governanceGood governance

Capacity building so that the capabilities, expertise and skills in local WASH institutions are retained and developed to improve the delivery of services.

Mechanisms to ensure access to transparent, gender sensitive, and equitable services

Ensuring an enabling environment for service provision, so that, service providers have access to support, such as skills development, specialist expertise, local supply chains, and other resources

Systems and procedures for accountability, monitoring, evaluation and reporting

for sustainable WASH services means:

Good governance for WASH services

Good governance for WASH services

Capacity development

Capacity development

Advocacy and communicationAdvocacy and communication

Sector knowledge sharing and

learning

Sector knowledge sharing and

learning

Multiple use services

Multiple use services

Sanitation, school

sanitation and hygiene

Sanitation, school

sanitation and hygiene

Monitoring and

evaluation

Monitoring and

evaluation

Support to community institutions

Support to community institutions

Transparency gender and

equity

Transparency gender and

equity

Financing and cost recoveryFinancing and cost recovery

Participatory and strategic approach to

local governance

Participatory and strategic approach to

local governance

Them

es to achieve good governance for W

AS

H services

Them

es to achieve good governance for W

AS

H services

How is good governance put into practice for WASH services?

Good governance cannot be applied in a vacuum

It needs to be applied to the different elements of WASH services – from policy, through to planning, to financing, to developing infrastructure, to providing the service and ultimately to regulation

It needs to address the entire service delivery ‘life cycle

Good governance from policy to sustainable services

Planning Implementation (infrastructure development)

Policy Service Provision (sustainable

services)

The development of good policies require: participation, advocacy, communication, gender equity, transparency, monitoring and feedback, support, accountability, sector knowledge sharing, and so on.

The development of good policies require: participation, advocacy, communication, gender equity, transparency, monitoring and feedback, support, accountability, sector knowledge sharing, and so on.

The same applies to planning services, deciding tariffs and subsidies, implementing capital projects and ultimately providing the service

The same applies to planning services, deciding tariffs and subsidies, implementing capital projects and ultimately providing the service

Financing

Delivering WASH

services

Finance

Infrastructure

Institutional arrangements for service provision

RegulationPlanning

Policies and bylaws (enabling

environment)

Key elements to deliver WASH services

1

2

3

4

5

6

Key elements to deliver a service An enabling environment which at the local level

includes the policies and bylaws within which water, sanitation and hygiene services must be delivered

Planning services (for the municipal / district / local area)

Finance (capital and operating and setting tariffs)

Infrastructure (development of new infrastructure and maintaining existing infrastructure)

institutional arrangements for the ongoing provision of the services (a water service provider)

regulating the service to ensure that it is provided according to the policy and bylaws.

Water, sanitation and

hygiene services (WASH)

Finance

Infrastructure

Institutional arrangements for service provision

RegulationPlanning

Policies and bylaws (enabling environment)

Capacity development

Capacity development

Advocacy and communicationAdvocacy and communication

Sector knowledge sharing and

learning

Sector knowledge sharing and

learning

TransparencyTransparency

Monitoring and

evaluation

Monitoring and

evaluation

Support to community institutions

Support to community institutions

Gender and equity

Gender and equity

Cost recovery and innovative

finance

Cost recovery and innovative

finance

Participatory and strategic approach to

local governance

Participatory and strategic approach to

local governance

Multiple use services

Multiple use services