Published on: 09/06/2016
Minister Ploumen emphasizes the role of civil society organisations as watchdog over public services in her note 'dialogue and dissent'. They need to critically follow the performance of government in service delivery, demand accountability and engage in dialogues with government to improve services, based on such data. This is not a one-way process. Donor governments also need to scrutinize the performance of their partner governments, NGOs and multi-laterals and demand accountability over their performance.
In the WASH sector, civil society organisations have been applying approaches and tools for accountability at different levels. These include: tracking WASH budgets of local governments; monitoring of functionality and service levels and using those data in dialogues with national government; and tracking commitments of governments at highest level in the context of Sanitation and Water for All. This field is undergoing rapid changes, as data on WASH services is becoming more easily available, particularly through mobile phone and internet applications – though monitoring and tracking financial flows for WASH still is fraught with difficulties.
Focus of the event
This IRC Event will share presentations about the types of tools in use for accountability in the WASH sector, and debate on the following questions:
- Are we applying the right types of accountability tools that cover all aspects of performance in WASH?
- How can we use data from the tools in processes of dialogues between government and civil society?
- What role does open (aid) data play in that?
Discussions focused on what is new, what is different and what does it mean for the different organisations working in the sector.
Read the event blog "Holding government accountable: from social audits to open data".
Speakers:
Roel Blesgraaf (Simavi), Accountability : an advocacy perspective
Jessie Bokhoven (SNV), Accountability : approaches, mechanisms & tools
Kees Oude Lenferink (DGIS), Following flows of water, funds, and results : a DGIS perspective on accountability in the development sector
Moderator: Mark Tiele Westra (Akvo)
Detailed programme and Bios of the speakers
Time and Date: 17:00–18:30, 06 July 2016
Venue: 7AM Buitenhof 47, 2513 AH The Hague. How to get to 7AM - Directions
