Draft Concept for a UNDP Regional Programme

for a Human Rights-Based Approach to Water Governance

Joint UNECE/EC/WHO-EURO/UNDP/OSCE

workshop on Water & Health (Bucharest 14 May 2008)

Presented by Claire Dupont and Esther Pozo, Milieu Ltd.

Towards a UNDP Regional Programme for a HRBA to Water Governance

1. Rationale for a Regional Programme2. The methodological approach3. Country prioritisation4. Structure of the Regional Programme5. Refining of the Draft Concept: Working Group

Discussion

1. Rationale for a Regional Programme

UNDP Commitment• General Comment No. 15 on the Right to Water • UNDP strong commitment to integrate HRBA in

development projects - UN Common Understanding on a Human Rights-Based Approach to Development Cooperation

• UNDP Water Governance Strategy identifies HRBA as a cross-cutting priority

• UNDP Global Human Rights Strengthening Programme 2007-2011 (GHRSP)

Need to translate these principles and recommendations into concrete action and results

HRBA address the challenges of the water sector

• HRBA can make a significant contribution to current efforts to improve universal access to water and sanitation and to achieving the MDGs through:– Improving accountability– Focusing on vulnerable and marginalised groups– Increasing participation in decision-making– Empowering individuals and community groups, as

well as competent authorities.

Links with the PWHThe Protocol on Water and Health incorporates many elements of the

Right to Water:• Art. 4(2): Parties shall, in particular, take all appropriate measures for

the purpose of ensuring: (a) adequate supplies of wholesome drinking water...;(b) adequate sanitation...

• Art. 5: Parties shall be guided in particular by the following principles and approaches: (1)...equitable access to water, adequate in terms of both quantity and of quality, should be provided for all members of the population, especially those who suffer a disadvantage or social exclusion.

• Art. 6(1): The Parties shall pursue the aims of: (a) access to drinking water for everyone; (b) provision of sanitation for everyone.

Need for close coordination to take advantage of potential synergies

Europe & CIS Region: Common Challenges & Opportunities

Outdated and malfunctioning infrastructure

Institutional and regulatory weaknesses / corruption

Lack of financial viability Water resource scarcity,

pollution, and risk of flooding Poor involvement of civil society high coverage of urban

populations and a precarious situation in rural areas

On-going reform of water management legislation and structure

Progressive implementation of River Basin approach

Strong involvement of international donors in the region for WSS projects

Drivers for improvement at the regional level through the PWH, approximation/harmonisation with EU legislation

2. The Methodological Approach

Development of the Regional Programme

Main Steps:

• Step 1: Mapping and Baseline Analysis

• Step 2: Diagnosis and Needs Assessment

• Step 3: Identification of Priorities and Opportunities

Outputs: Evaluation of priorities

and cross-cutting opportunities

Development of example benchmarks and indicators for programmes and projects

Identification of potential programmes and projects linked to priorities

Development of the Regional Programme (cont’d)

• Integration of 3 cross-cutting issues: Equality and non-discrimination, Participation and inclusion & Accountability and rule of law

• Desk-top studies using common check-list format for assessment of the baseline situation - testing for 6 priority countries

• Development of a draft concept for stakeholder consultation

Final Output

Regional Programme identifying:

Objectives for the region Methodology for country assessment Priority countries Potential projects Timeline and general cost estimation

3. Country Prioritisation

Sub-Regions• Five sub-regions based on differences in water problems and

geographical, economic and political characteristics.• Central Asia: water scarcity, similar level of development, • South Caucasus: geographical characteristics (isolated and

mountain areas; they share same river basins)• SE Europe: post conflict areas and in line for eventual EU

membership.• Western CIS: EU neighbourhood policy, commitment to align

with EU legislation• EU member and candidate states: full or on-going

approximation strategies with EU legislation.

Prioritisation CriteriaCountry selection based on:• On-going or planned programmes and projects on water

issues and/or human rights • Prioritisation of WSS and/or human rights in the country • Situation of the country in meeting the MDGs on WSS• Potential for field testing methodologies in relation to

particular water issues and human rights that could be exported to other countries or regions

• Feasibility and opportunity criteria to develop and implement concrete national projects in the future

Priority Countries1st Priority Countries

Bosnia-Herzegovina,

Georgia,

Moldova,

Tajikistan,

Turkey,

Ukraine

2nd Priority Countries

Azerbaijan,

Kyrgyzstan,

Serbia

3rd Priority Countries

Armenia

Belarus

Cyprus

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan,

Montenegro

Serbia

4. Structure of the Regional Programme

Four Thematic Components• Programme structured around 4 thematic components:

Accessibility: accessibility covers physical accessibility and focuses primarily on the quality of the services provided

Affordability: Water tariffs set at such a level that standard volume of water is provided at affordable prices (or free if necessary) to everyone, with special consideration to poor, marginalised and vulnerable groups

Quality and quantity: water supplied should be safe and acceptable for all different uses. Balance among competing needs to be reached while giving priority to human consumption.

Transboundary cooperation: cooperation between all countries sharing a watercourse necessary in to reconcile different and possibly conflicting interests and water needs of the states concerned.

Structure

• For each component, identification of the main opportunities for UNDP intervention in cooperation with potential partners, including: Priority actions reflecting the needs and priorities of the region Possible fields for the development of:

• mainstreaming activities and/or • stand-alone actions/projects

At regional, national and local levels

Priority actions on Accessibility

The following priority actions have been identified:• Avoiding negative impacts of WSS infrastructure and

facilities design on vulnerable and marginalised groups• Ensuring accessibility of vulnerable groups, including

rural areas• Prioritisation and targeting of vulnerable and

marginalised groups in water policy including resource allocation

• Ensuring public participation of vulnerable and marginalised groups

Priority actions on Affordability

The following priority actions have been identified:• Ensuring equitable pricing policies and cross-subsidies • Integrating affordability into planning for financing water

services• Ensuring affordability of services in WSS concessions • Public participation• Transparency and accountability (redress mechanisms

and procurement)

Priority actions on Quality and Quantity

The following priority actions have been identified:• Prioritising water for domestic uses• Managing the water resource base to ensure water

quality and quantity• Delivering water supplies safe for use• Responding to climate change and natural disasters• Public participation and transparency

Priority actions on Transboundary Cooperation

The following priority actions have been identified:• Facilitating transboundary cooperation on water resource

management• Enabling dialogue towards conflict resolution• Public participation

Programme Phases & Cost Estimates

• 1st Phase: Mapping analysis and development of national programme– Duration: 5 months– Budget: USD100,000 per country (€65,000)

• 2nd Phase: Identification of relevant programme areas and specific projects– Duration: 4-6 months– Budget: USD 70,000 per country (€45,000)

• 3rd Phase: Procurement and contracting– Duration: 3-6 months (depending on the scale and complexity of the project)

• 4th Phase: Implementation of projects– Duration: variable– Budget: variable but may range between USD 5,000 and 120,000 (€ 3,200 and

78,000).

5. Refining of the Draft ConceptWorking Group Discussion

General Questions for the Working Groups

• What are the opportunities and challenges for a regional programme for HRBA to WSS and Water Governance in the region?

• How coordination among donors at regional and national level could be improved?

• Do you think the components selected are adequate having regard to the commitment to apply HRBA to WSS and Water Governance in the region? Do you consider any other component that should be covered by the regional programme?

• Do you think the priority countries selected are adequate or should other countries be considered instead?

Questions related to specific component

• Do you think this component reflects the corresponding problems in the region? What other priority actions could be identified?

• What other mainstreaming opportunities for HRBA in relation to this component could be considered?

• What type of stand-alone projects could be considered?• What opportunities for partnership with UNDP do you

consider possible in this area? • What indicators could be develop to select projects and

assess progress in this area?