Institutional Options for WES-Net
WSP-SA
Community of Practice
Knowledge Networks – new strategic imperative for organizations
Need to distinguish between Knowledge and Information
KM is about linking information to people
Common Activities of Networks
Advisory Advocacy Capacity Building Coordination Information (and Communication) Public Relations Research
Organization & Function
Individual/ Sole
Partnership
Donor & Government
Civil Society Network Str
Information & Public Relations
Information & Advisory Services
Coordination for Policy & Implementation
Advocacy
Information, Coordination & Research
Key Lessons
Work better with specific Need sustained commitment of leadership Work better incentives & rewards for using
knowledge for application Those that build off existing databases & processes
of learning do better Focus on technical solutions, overlooking
organizational processes & incentives Those not based on stakeholder consensus have a
very short life or are ineffective
Criteria for Institutional Selection
Network Structure rather than Organization Equality for all members Credible & sustainable institutions Need for leadership Government engagement Widening membership for knowledge (not
just information)
Need for WES-Net
K sharing K sharing for reforms Key Institutional
backing Scaling-up alternatives Dialogue with Govt.
Create partnerships CB institution Learning & exchange
can save resources Better HR
management Platform for ‘network
of networks’
Mission & Vision
Mission– “Knowledge sharing in the water and sanitation sector” – “Knowledge sharing for water and sanitation reforms.”
Vision– based on the MDG – “By 2015, reduce by half the
proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities”
– ‘sustainable water supply and sanitation’- ‘sustainable access to better water & sanitation by the
poor’
Objectives
Knowledge Dissemination & Sharing
Networking Knowledge Production Implementation
Yes
Yes
No
No
Membership: Under representation
National level NGOs, e.g. CSE, NFI, PRIA, SPWD & Sulabh.
Professional bodies, e.g. NIUA, IDFC, NCAER, PRADAN, RGF, NIPF&P, Winrock, ASCI, IWMI, CEE etc.
State & regional NGOs, e.g. SEWA, MYRADA, Dhan, SEUF, SWRC, Sewa Mandir, Urmul & Tarun Bharat Sangh.
Membership: Neglected Groups
National & State Governments Water & NGO Networks University & Research Institutions PHED Training Centers Local Governments Individual Professionals Political Parties
Institutional Options
1. UN based/led
2. Government based/led
3. Registered Society
4. Housed in a member organization
5. Rotated among member organizations
6. Management Contract
Option 1: UN based/led
UN-IAWG-WES
Secretariat
Donor Coordination
Sector Coordination
Network Activities
G
O
V
T
(+) ‘honest broker’ (-) dominated by UN agencies
Option 2: Government based/ledGovt – Rural & Urban
WES-Net Members & UN agencies
Activities – focus on policy & implementation
Marginalized Civil Society Groups
Knowledge Process
(+) linked to implementation (-) dominated by govt.
Indian water network
a network for the 58 districts linked in explicitly to the activities of the RG
Mission all important documentation from the sector
are on the website active communication between districts,
states, training institutions, GOI and ESAs linking of the sector reform projects to the
international community
Option 3: Registered Society
G
O
V
T.
W m
E e
S m
- b
N e
E r
T s
Steering Committee
& UN
Agencies
Registered Society
Activities
(+) separate identity (-) act as a ‘super’ organization
Option 4: Member Organization
G
O
V
T.
W m
E e
S m
- b
N e
E r
T s
Steering Committee
& UN
Agencies
WES-Net Unit
Activities
Host Institution
(+) funding not a problem (-) involvement of others restricted
Option 5: Principle of Rotation
Unhealthy competition - trying to boast their achievements at the cost of others
Picking ‘low hanging apples’ - not able to take up activities and invest in professional capacity with a long-term framework
Uneven quality of professional & managerial capacity for WES-Net, putting it as risk
Funding could be a problem as members may wish to conserve resources to their turn
Option 6: Management ContractDistrict
ULBs
Gram Panchayat
Local NGOs
BenificiaryGroup
National Level Institution
Joint Venture of Watsan Organizations
Source-in Capacity from other states and internationally
Output based Contract
NGOs, Eng., Acc., Inf. Dev Firms, etc.
Knowledge Collection & Dissemination
Model Demonstration Projects
Needs Assessment
Evaluate effectiveness
Strategy
Networking & Monitoring
(+) output based (-) looses civil society energy
Evaluating Institutional Options
Criteria/
Options
Network Structu.
Equality Credible/ Sustain.
Instituti.
Leader-ship
Govt. Engage.
Wide Memb.
UN lead No No Partially Yes Yes No
Govt led No No Partially Yes Yes No
Register. Society
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes through UN
Yes
Member
Society
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes through UN
Yes
Rotation Yes Yes Yes Partially Yes through UN
Yes
Manag. Contract
No No No No No No
Registered Society: Model 1
G
O
V
T.
W m
E e
S m
- b
N e
E r
T s
Steering Committee
& UN
Agencies
Registered Society
Activities
(+) separate identity (-) act as a ‘super’ organization
Registered Society: Model 2
G
O
V
T.
Steering Committee
& UN
Agencies
Registered Society
Activities
(+) separate identity (-) funding
WES-Net Members
Host Institution: Model 1
G
O
V
T.
W m
E e
S m
- b
N e
E r
T s
Steering Committee
& UN
Agencies
WES-Net Unit
Activities
Host Institution
(+) funding not a problem (-) involvement of others restricted
Host Institution: Model 2
WES-Net Members (General Body)
Host Institution
Advisory Council representative of WES-Net members
Activities
Government participation - national & state
QA Team
Host Institution: Model 3
WES-Net Members (General Body)
Host InstitutionAdvisory Council representative of WES-Net members
Funding from WES-Net members (at least 25%) & external donors
Activities through Committees of WES-Net Members
Government participation - national & state
UN as member in GB, Advisory Council & Regulator
QA Team
Institutional Details
Host only for fiduciary responsibility Balance between host & members UN to play regulator & facilitator Activities by Comm formed by members At least 25% funding by members Govt as member or listener Quality Assurance team to vet WES-Net products ‘Host Institution’ could be seen as a transition
model with an eventual society being registered
WES-Net Activities & Linkages
Activities undertaken by WES-Net (WES-Net products)
Activities undertaken by members on behalf of WES-Net (WES-Net products)
KM and Networking activities already being done by different members that add value to and get benefit from WES-Net, e.g. Sangam (UN-IAWG WES Newsletter), Solutions Exchange, Jalvaani, Rural & Urban think tanks, etc.
WES-Net & UNKMC
UNKMC
Environment
Water & Sanitation
WES-Net
Different thematic groups – Solutions Exchange
Other Activities
Proposed Network FrameworkWES-Net Members
SupplyDemand
Ground watsan reality & engagement with Govt. programs
Fund/Resource
Govt./Mkt.
Activities of Committees
WES-Net Members
National Advisory Committee
Regional, State, District & ULBs
State Advisory Committee
District Planning Committee
Fed of ULBs
District Panchayats Urban Local Bodies
Gram Panchayats Wards
Communities
National Unit
East North Central West South
State and District Units
First Phase (3 yrs) only State Units – selective district units
Easier to have Chairman as State Sec GB only at National Level Funding centralized – decentralization case
to case basis Selective QA teams at regional/state level
Horizontal Thematic Groups
Communities
Civil Society Groups & Networks
Local/State Govt. Institutions & Representatives
WES-Net GB with Govt, Civil Society, Donors & Professionals
Thematic Groups initiated by various cells