Institutional Options for WES-Net

WSP-SA

Community of Practice

Knowledge Networks – new strategic imperative for organizations

Need to distinguish between Knowledge and Information

KM is about linking information to people

Common Activities of Networks

Advisory Advocacy Capacity Building Coordination Information (and Communication) Public Relations Research

Organization & Function

Individual/ Sole

Partnership

Donor & Government

Civil Society Network Str

Information & Public Relations

Information & Advisory Services

Coordination for Policy & Implementation

Advocacy

Information, Coordination & Research

Key Lessons

Work better with specific Need sustained commitment of leadership Work better incentives & rewards for using

knowledge for application Those that build off existing databases & processes

of learning do better Focus on technical solutions, overlooking

organizational processes & incentives Those not based on stakeholder consensus have a

very short life or are ineffective

Criteria for Institutional Selection

Network Structure rather than Organization Equality for all members Credible & sustainable institutions Need for leadership Government engagement Widening membership for knowledge (not

just information)

Need for WES-Net

K sharing K sharing for reforms Key Institutional

backing Scaling-up alternatives Dialogue with Govt.

Create partnerships CB institution Learning & exchange

can save resources Better HR

management Platform for ‘network

of networks’

Mission & Vision

Mission– “Knowledge sharing in the water and sanitation sector” – “Knowledge sharing for water and sanitation reforms.”

Vision– based on the MDG – “By 2015, reduce by half the

proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities”

– ‘sustainable water supply and sanitation’- ‘sustainable access to better water & sanitation by the

poor’

Objectives

Knowledge Dissemination & Sharing

Networking Knowledge Production Implementation

Yes

Yes

No

No

Membership: Under representation

National level NGOs, e.g. CSE, NFI, PRIA, SPWD & Sulabh.

Professional bodies, e.g. NIUA, IDFC, NCAER, PRADAN, RGF, NIPF&P, Winrock, ASCI, IWMI, CEE etc.

State & regional NGOs, e.g. SEWA, MYRADA, Dhan, SEUF, SWRC, Sewa Mandir, Urmul & Tarun Bharat Sangh.

Membership: Neglected Groups

National & State Governments Water & NGO Networks University & Research Institutions PHED Training Centers Local Governments Individual Professionals Political Parties

Institutional Options

1. UN based/led

2. Government based/led

3. Registered Society

4. Housed in a member organization

5. Rotated among member organizations

6. Management Contract

Option 1: UN based/led

UN-IAWG-WES

Secretariat

Donor Coordination

Sector Coordination

Network Activities

G

O

V

T

(+) ‘honest broker’ (-) dominated by UN agencies

Option 2: Government based/ledGovt – Rural & Urban

WES-Net Members & UN agencies

Activities – focus on policy & implementation

Marginalized Civil Society Groups

Knowledge Process

(+) linked to implementation (-) dominated by govt.

Indian water network

a network for the 58 districts linked in explicitly to the activities of the RG

Mission all important documentation from the sector

are on the website active communication between districts,

states, training institutions, GOI and ESAs linking of the sector reform projects to the

international community

Option 3: Registered Society

G

O

V

T.

W m

E e

S m

- b

N e

E r

T s

Steering Committee

& UN

Agencies

Registered Society

Activities

(+) separate identity (-) act as a ‘super’ organization

Option 4: Member Organization

G

O

V

T.

W m

E e

S m

- b

N e

E r

T s

Steering Committee

& UN

Agencies

WES-Net Unit

Activities

Host Institution

(+) funding not a problem (-) involvement of others restricted

Option 5: Principle of Rotation

Unhealthy competition - trying to boast their achievements at the cost of others

Picking ‘low hanging apples’ - not able to take up activities and invest in professional capacity with a long-term framework

Uneven quality of professional & managerial capacity for WES-Net, putting it as risk

Funding could be a problem as members may wish to conserve resources to their turn

Option 6: Management ContractDistrict

ULBs

Gram Panchayat

Local NGOs

BenificiaryGroup

National Level Institution

Joint Venture of Watsan Organizations

Source-in Capacity from other states and internationally

Output based Contract

NGOs, Eng., Acc., Inf. Dev Firms, etc.

Knowledge Collection & Dissemination

Model Demonstration Projects

Needs Assessment

Evaluate effectiveness

Strategy

Networking & Monitoring

(+) output based (-) looses civil society energy

Evaluating Institutional Options

Criteria/

Options

Network Structu.

Equality Credible/ Sustain.

Instituti.

Leader-ship

Govt. Engage.

Wide Memb.

UN lead No No Partially Yes Yes No

Govt led No No Partially Yes Yes No

Register. Society

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes through UN

Yes

Member

Society

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes through UN

Yes

Rotation Yes Yes Yes Partially Yes through UN

Yes

Manag. Contract

No No No No No No

Registered Society: Model 1

G

O

V

T.

W m

E e

S m

- b

N e

E r

T s

Steering Committee

& UN

Agencies

Registered Society

Activities

(+) separate identity (-) act as a ‘super’ organization

Registered Society: Model 2

G

O

V

T.

Steering Committee

& UN

Agencies

Registered Society

Activities

(+) separate identity (-) funding

WES-Net Members

Host Institution: Model 1

G

O

V

T.

W m

E e

S m

- b

N e

E r

T s

Steering Committee

& UN

Agencies

WES-Net Unit

Activities

Host Institution

(+) funding not a problem (-) involvement of others restricted

Host Institution: Model 2

WES-Net Members (General Body)

Host Institution

Advisory Council representative of WES-Net members

Activities

Government participation - national & state

QA Team

             

 

       

Host Institution: Model 3

WES-Net Members (General Body)

Host InstitutionAdvisory Council representative of WES-Net members

Funding from WES-Net members (at least 25%) & external donors

Activities through Committees of WES-Net Members

Government participation - national & state

UN as member in GB, Advisory Council & Regulator

QA Team

             

 

       

Institutional Details

Host only for fiduciary responsibility Balance between host & members UN to play regulator & facilitator Activities by Comm formed by members At least 25% funding by members Govt as member or listener Quality Assurance team to vet WES-Net products ‘Host Institution’ could be seen as a transition

model with an eventual society being registered

WES-Net Activities & Linkages

Activities undertaken by WES-Net (WES-Net products)

Activities undertaken by members on behalf of WES-Net (WES-Net products)

KM and Networking activities already being done by different members that add value to and get benefit from WES-Net, e.g. Sangam (UN-IAWG WES Newsletter), Solutions Exchange, Jalvaani, Rural & Urban think tanks, etc.

WES-Net & UNKMC

UNKMC

Environment

Water & Sanitation

WES-Net

Different thematic groups – Solutions Exchange

Other Activities

Proposed Network FrameworkWES-Net Members

SupplyDemand

Ground watsan reality & engagement with Govt. programs

Fund/Resource

Govt./Mkt.

Activities of Committees

WES-Net Members

National Advisory Committee

Regional, State, District & ULBs

State Advisory Committee

District Planning Committee

Fed of ULBs

District Panchayats Urban Local Bodies

Gram Panchayats Wards

Communities

National Unit

East North Central West South

State and District Units

First Phase (3 yrs) only State Units – selective district units

Easier to have Chairman as State Sec GB only at National Level Funding centralized – decentralization case

to case basis Selective QA teams at regional/state level

Horizontal Thematic Groups

Communities

Civil Society Groups & Networks

Local/State Govt. Institutions & Representatives

WES-Net GB with Govt, Civil Society, Donors & Professionals

Thematic Groups initiated by various cells