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Published on: 30/11/2016

 
 
 
There is a lot to know. 
Everyone wants to know. 
New technology helps us to know a lot. 
But is the way monitoring is done effective?
 
Government does need to know. 
And since the responsibility for water and sanitation in most countries lies with local government, it is local government who needs to know.
 
But you do not need to know everything. 
Knowing is not necessarily the same as using. 
 
Start with what you need to know.
Consider the full cycle of data management.
Budget for the monitoring.
Assess your partners and collaborate.
 
Monitoring works.
Data helps to write proposals for funding.
Data enables local government and NGOs to coordinate planning.
Data results in timely replacement.
Data results in re-training water committees.
Data helps politicians to make evidence-based decisions.
Data results in repairs.
Data increases government leadership. 
Data empowers communities.
 
And ultimately data makes sure that safe water and sanitation services get to you… and stay with you!!!
 

About this video

The video Making monitoring count' was developed as part of the UNICEF-IRC partnership 'Knowledge Management and Sector Learning in West and Central African Countries'. It discusses the need for country sector monitoring and describes the complexities of monitoring, as well as the complexities around roles and responsibilities in monitoring. The script, developed by Ton Schouten, was taken as starting point to conduct a series of interviews with key stakeholders in West Africa and were centred around the importance of having national sector monitoring systems led by government; the challenges and opportunities to get monitoring systems to scale, and the key question of what should be monitored.
 
The video was premiered at the 7th Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) Forum in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, 1 December 2016.
 
Photos: Lars Heemskerk (Akvo), Anne Mimault, Lokaal Mondiaal, Peter McIntyre and IRC staff
Camera & interviews: Nicolas Dickinson (IRC) and Lars Heemskerk (Akvo)
Voice: Vera van der Grift (IRC)
 
Special thanks to: Jeremiah Atengdem (SMARTerWASH), Kitch Bawa (AMCOW), Cor Dietvorst (IRC), Jana Gombitova (Akvo), Vera van der Grift (IRC), Benedict Kubabbom (CWSA), Nelson Gomonda (AMCOW), Nokhor Ndour (Ministere de l'Hydraulique et de l'Assainissement), Kelly Ann Nyor (UNICEF), Joseph Pearce (IRC), Frank Tisdzi (CWSA), Dagmar Verbeek (Akvo).
 
Production: Petra Brussee, Rene van Lieshout and Ton Schouten (IRC)
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