WaterSan Perspective
August 28, 2015
Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partners report significant progress on 56% of the 383 commitments tabled by 43 developing countries and 12 donors at the 2014 High Level Meeting.
Most of the commitments aim at removing barriers to progress, eliminating inequalities and ensuring sustainability of water and sanitation services.
Countries report significant progress on half of their commitments, including a tenth nearly or already achieved. In particular, they report progress on commitments to improve the visibility of the sector, develop and implement national monitoring systems, and increase institutional and human capacity.
Countries also report slow progress on almost 40% of their commitments, including 7% facing major barriers. Although there are some specific good examples of increased budget allocations for the sector, overall, country commitments related to financing are lagging behind.
Donors achieved significant progress on 81% of their commitments, including more than a quarter either already or almost complete. Most of this progress is concentrated on commitments around financing, improving visibility of the sector and decentralization. Donors also report slow progress on 19%, mostly on the few commitments related to increasing evidence and improving coordination and alignment.
These are the main conclusions of the Mid-Term Review of Progress, the consolidation of SWA partners’ self-monitoring midway through April 2016, by when most commitments should be achieved. The commitments are set and monitored by governments, together with the main in-country stakeholders.
“We are encouraged by the results of the Mid-term Review and partners’ participation in it: 40 of the 43 countries and all 12 donors that made commitments reported back a year later,” said Catarina de Albuquerque, Executive Chair of SWA. “The spirit of the reporting is about learning from experience. We look at where we are making progress, and where we are still facing challenges, and this strengthens our resolve to do better.”
