December 2013: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) Water Governance Facility at the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) released a collection of national case studies of how integrity, responsibility, accountability and transparency are being addressed in the water sector in eight Latin American countries, as a basis for building capacity to combat corruption.
The report, titled ‘Mapping of Integrity and Accountability in Water Resources Management and Relevant Capacities in Latin America,’ highlights potential entry points for capacity development to: raise public awareness of the issue; improve institutional coordination; advocate for water integrity; and strengthen regulatory and political frameworks. The report shows that while most countries in the region have adopted integrated water resources management (IWRM) policies and have introduced good governance standards for transparency, public participation, accountability and access to justice, these are not yet fully implemented. The case studies are from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The report recommends: adopting guiding principles in national water policies; combating corruption in sectors such as drinking water and sanitation, hydropower, irrigation and environmental management; and engaging the private sector in these efforts, on the basis of increasing their competitiveness.
Based on the eight case studies, the authors recommend that capacity building efforts: promote training in IWRM, including its integrity dimension; work with unions, NGOs and universities to address corruption control and render public officials accountable; train the judiciary and law enforcement agencies on addressing corruption in the water sector; and develop a shared vision among national water-related sectors.
The report was commissioned by Cap-Net/UNDP and UNDP’s Water Governance Facility at SIWI. [Publication: Mapping of Integrity and Accountability in Water Resources Management and Relevant Capacities in Latin America] [Water Governance Facility Website]