Corruption and Integrity

Water is a foundation for development. Without it, there’s no economic growth, no industry, agriculture or cities. Disease and infant mortality thrive. The hours lost daily fetching water keep women out of work and children out of school. By diverting resources from where they’re most needed, corruption exacerbates the already difficult challenges.

Corruption in water costs lives. Investing in water infrastructure and governance means jobs, agriculture, health, education and environmental protection. It’s a straightforward path to progress; yet, too often the path is blocked by corruption. That’s why there is a need to address corruption risks, increase transparency and accountability in the water sector. Coalition building and partnerships are essential to generate knowledge, capacity and awareness to tackle corruption in water. Read more on corruption in the water sector.

 

Water Integrity Tools

The Annotated Water integrity Scan is a diagnostic tool for multi-stakeholder workshops, and has three main objectives:

  • Establish an overview of the integrity of different sub-sectors of the water sector, to highlight areas which are vulnerable to corruption

  • Identify priority areas for action to enhance water integrity

  • Increase awareness about the water integrity situation and stimulate improvement

The tool includes an implementation guide on the organisation, preparation and implementation of an AWIS workshop, which describes each step of the process and makes suggestions for follow-up.

 

Organisations working on Water Integrity

Transparency International (TI) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation dedicated to fighting corruption. Active in nearly 100 countries and on the international stage, TI raises awareness of the devastating effects of corruption, and works with governments, businesses and international organisations to tackle corruption.

Gateway is about collecting, sharing and expanding knowledge on corruption assessment. It allows those who wish to measure corruption to match their needs with existing diagnostic tools.

Transparency International India (TII) is the accredited India chapter of Transparency International and is part of the Asia Pacific Forum comprising 20 nations. TII is a non-government, non-party and not-for-profit organisation of Indian citizens with professional, social, industrial or academic experience seeking to promote transparent and ethical governance and to eradicate corruption.

The UNDP Water Governance Facility at SIWI (WGF) provides strategic water governance support to developing countries to advance socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically efficient management of water resources and water and sanitation services to improve the livelihoods of poor people.

Tool sheets: A brief about various tools for assessing integrity in the water sector.

 

Integrity pacts: This pact is to ensure integrity in procurement processes, and has two main components:

  • a written agreement between the government and all bidders to refrain from bribery and collusion,

  • a monitoring system that provides for independent oversight and increased government accountability of the public contracting process.

Integrity pacts implementation guides have been developed specifically for the water sector.

 

The advocacy guide is a toolbox for advocating and campaigning on water integrity action.

 

The guide comprises five modules with various engaging, stimulating ideas and hands-on exercises for individuals and groups who want to get started in advocating for water integrity.

 

TAP risks

TAP risks is a tool that allows gaining a better understanding of the integrity of water service provision. The tool identifies relevant stakeholders and assesses the integrity of their relationships in terms of transparency, accountability and participation (TAP). 

 

Citizen report cards

Citizen report cards are an interactive learning tool is designed to assist individuals and organizations interested in carrying out a Citizen Report Card (CRC) study in the water and sanitation sector.

The methodology collects user’s actual feedback on public services on selective indicators to make the provider accountable for any lapses or the poor condition of services. The commonly used indicators are access, usage, quality/reliability, hidden costs (including bribery) and level of satisfaction.

 

Useful Links

Reports, articles, papers

Videos

Photos, slideshows

Training manual on water integrity

This training manual deals with the issue of integrity and anti-corruption in the water sector – one of the least addressed areas in the governance of water resources and services. It has been developed to assist in building institutional capacity, with water managers and other water decision-makers as the primary target group.

 

Water Management Transparency Index

This tool is designed to evaluate the level of transparency of water management. It is based on 80 indicators which look at:

  • general information about the relevant water agency,

  • public relations transparency in planning processes,

  • transparency in the use of water resources,

  • financial transparency, and

  • transparency in contracting

In addition, sase information sheets and tool sheets to support the use of this tool have been developed.

 

Corruption assessment in basic services

Corruption assessment in basic services are tools and methods which aim to diagnose corruption and/or corruption risks in the delivery of education, health and water and sanitation services. The scope of tools includes analyses of:

  • the overall political/governance situation in a sector

  • the flow of resources from government to service providers

  • the role of and relationships between different actors (e.g. service providers, service users, government officials)

  • specific processes within the broader system (e.g. health insurance, university admissions) and

  • particular corruption problems (e.g. teacher absenteeism, informal payments to doctors)

ASHWAS manual: This process handbook  is to serve as a useful template for those planning to embark on a participatory household water and sanitation survey. The handbook has detailed out the scope of planning and execution along with the resources, skills and time needed at each stage of the survey.

Water Integrity Network (WIN)

The Water Integrity Network (WIN) is an action-oriented coalition of organisations and individuals promoting water integrity to reduce and prevent corruption in the water sector.

WIN’s vision is a world with equitable and sustained access to water and a clean environment, which is no longer threatened by corruption, greed, dishonesty and willful malpractice. 

WIN’s mission is to increase integrity levels and reduce corruption in the water sector through a pro-poor and pro-equity focus. It works with partners and influences decision-makers to facilitate active multi-stakeholder coalitions and to build capacities for the use of tools and strategies for water integrity at all levels.

WIN’s work does not just concern preventing corruption, a big enough challenge in itself, but also ensuring that the poor participate meaningfully in decision-making processes and benefit in particular from the solutions put in place.

The WIN secretariat is hosted by Transparency International (TI) in Berlin, Germany. To know more about WIN, please visit: http://www.waterintegritynetwork.net. Also read WINs blog.

 

 

Featured Articles
October 21, 2019 In this interview, Joy talks about his work as an activist working in rural Maharashtra, and how he came to work on water conflicts in India.
KJ Joy speaks at a felicitation for the late Professor Ramaswamy Iyer.
September 30, 2019 The recently concluded 4 day conference in Bangalore looked at the current state of global water resource challenges & future pathways to achieve the SDGs, while ensuring equity in access to all.
Charles Vorosmarty, Chair, COMPASS Initiative, Water Future at the opening plenary on advanced water system assessments to address water security challenges of the 21st century.
September 26, 2019 A workshop in Bangalore explored water ethics and how it can be applied to water management.
From left to right - Siddharth Krishnan (ATREE), David Groenfeldt (Water Culture Institute), Sara Ahmed (University of Cambridge), Veena Srinivasan (ATREE), KJ Joy (SOPPECOM)
August 13, 2019 Magsaysay award winner & founder-editor of PARI, P Sainath analyses India's water scarcity, the agrarian crisis & farmer suicides, before asking: what can we do about it?
Picture: The semi-arid regions of the Moyar-Bhavani River basin in Tamil Nadu. Picture credit: Prathigna Poonacha, Tanvi Deshpande; Indian Institute for Human Settlements from India Water Portal on Flickr. Picture used for representational purposes only
June 28, 2019 An analysis of the new Nal se Jal scheme, promising drinking water to every household in India by 2024.
Image for representational purposes only. Image credit: India Water Portal on Flickr
Open Happiness' or open a can of worms?
Nandlal Master has been waging a decade-long struggle against the many injustices carried out by the Coca Cola factory in Mehdiganj, Uttar Pradesh. Listen to his story. Posted on 16 May, 2014 08:11 PM

1999 was an interesting real estate year for Mehdiganj village in Uttar Pradesh. Someone began buying up land adjoining a soft drink factory owned by the Parle Company. They also began buying land from the farmers except the farmers had no idea as to whom they were selling the land to. As the boundary wall rose up, problems arose too.

Nandlal Master - fighting Coca Cola since 2002
10% of Odisha coast prone to erosion
News this week: 10% Odisha coast highly prone to erosion, reveals study; Unseasonal rain destroys agriculture in Andhra; Centre plans to conduct socio-economic survey of forest villages. Posted on 12 May, 2014 08:38 AM

10% of Odisha coast prone to erosion: Study

Coastal erosion (Source: GFGD)
80 countries agree to save oceans in UN-backed summit
News this week: 80 countries join hands to save the world's oceans; Panel blames hydel projects for 2013's devastating floods; Tumkur drought destroys more than 50% of coconut crop Posted on 05 May, 2014 12:25 PM

80 countries join hands to save world's oceans

Oceans of the world (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Below normal' rainfall for India this monsoon: IMD
News this week: IMD predicts a below average monsoon this year; Himachal villagers reject govt's Assessment Report on Sutlej basin; Six years post-construction, Narmada canals breach every ten steps. Posted on 28 Apr, 2014 10:18 PM

'Below normal' rainfall for India this monsoon: IMD

Monsoon in India (Source: journeys@remember)
More power, but no water security to MP and Gujarat
News this week: Upcoming elections pose risk to water security of MP and Gujarat; No action taken by MoEF against illegal Garudeshwar dam in Gujarat; Karur's farmers to exercise NOTA. Posted on 22 Apr, 2014 11:10 PM

More power, but no water security to MP and Gujarat, observes SANDRP

Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat (Source: Wikimedia)
Kerala's seas are rich in sand: GSI
News this week: Kerala's offshore areas are rich in marine sand, says GSI; JP group sells its hydro projects in HP without settling the tribals' issues; Illegal sand mining kills Chambal's ghariyals. Posted on 10 Mar, 2014 07:54 AM

Kerala seas's rich in sand, says GSI

Ponnani Sea Shore in Kerala (Source: Wikipedia)
Wildlife Board approves controversial irrigation projects in Maharashtra
Policy matters this week: Maharashtra's controversial irrigation projects approved; DJB asked to discard metal pipes; SC notice to Centre, UP and Haryana over flow in Yamuna and Ganga. Posted on 05 Mar, 2014 11:23 PM

Maharashtra's controversial irrigation projects get a green signal

Irrigation canal in Maharashtra (Source:Wikipedia)
Scrap 15 out of 40 dams across Siang in Arunachal: CWC
Policy matter this week: CWC report warns against dams proposed in Siang; MoEF eases norms to clear dams in Sikkim; Karnataka all set to constitute groundwater authority. Posted on 24 Feb, 2014 04:17 PM

CWC recommends scrapping of 15 dams planned across Siang

A river in East Siang (Source: Wikimedia)
New law to save the Ganga
Policy matters this week: PMO orders framing of draft legislation to protect the Ganga; Narmada-Kshipra river linking scheme passes the test; World Bank to support low-income states. Posted on 17 Feb, 2014 02:22 PM

PMO approves law to protect Ganga river

Ganga river in Haridwar (Source: Anoop Negi)
New crop insurance scheme for Pudukottai, TN
Policy matters this week: Crop scheme for Pudukottai gets govt. approval; Delhi govt. plans to revive defunct RWH system in schools; NGT orders vigil against illegal coastal sand mining. Posted on 10 Feb, 2014 07:06 PM

Pudukottai gets crop insurance scheme to mitigate nature's fury

Villagers planting paddy crops (Source: Wikipedia)
×