Draft Concept for a UNDP Regional Programme for a Human Rights-Based Approach to Water Governance

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Draft Concept for a UNDP Regional Programmefor 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.
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Towards a UNDP Regional Programme for a HRBA to
Water Governance

1. Rationale for a Regional Programme
2. The methodological approach
3. Country prioritisation
4. Structure of the Regional Programme
5. Refining of the Draft Concept Working Group
   Discussion

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1. Rationale for a Regional Programme
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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
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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.

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Links with the PWH

• The 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
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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

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2. The Methodological Approach
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Development of the Regional Programme

• 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

• Main Steps
• Step 1 Mapping and Baseline Analysis
• Step 2 Diagnosis and Needs Assessment
• Step 3 Identification of Priorities and
  Opportunities

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Development of the Regional Programme (contd)

• 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

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Final Output

• Regional Programme identifying
• ? Objectives for the region
• ? Methodology for country assessment
• Priority countries
• Potential projects
• Timeline and general cost estimation

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3. Country Prioritisation
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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.

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Prioritisation Criteria

• Country 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

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Priority Countries
1st Priority Countries
2nd Priority Countries
3rd Priority Countries
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova,
Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine
Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia
Armenia Belarus Cyprus Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or
Turkmenistan, Montenegro Serbia
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4. Structure of the Regional Programme
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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.

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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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).

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5. Refining of the Draft ConceptWorking Group
Discussion
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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?

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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?