Water Integrity Network

Introduction

Formed in 2006, the central objective of the Water Integrity Network (WIN) is to eradicate corruption in the water sector; asserting, 'the water crisis is a governance crisis with corruption at its core' . Corruption is undoubtedly a problem in providing water, however it would be misleading to claim that corruption is the sole reason so many in the world do without water; there are other governance and structural factors at play.

Further, WIN appear to focus on corruption in the third world on a relatively minor scale. Little is written of previous corrupt activities by major multi-nationals in Europe as well as elsewhere in the industrialised west . Moreover, little is mentioned of lobbying activities by major Trans-National Corporations and the revolving door between major water companies, politics and lobbying .

WIN are also ambiguous over private sector involvement. What is clear: focusing on state corruption and excluding corrupt activities by the private sector indicates a partial, rather than a full, analysis of corruption in the water sector.

Founding Members

According to WIN:

WIN was founded in 2006 by some of the most active and well-known international water sector organisations and the leading global anti-corruption organisations. The founding members are:

• IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre The IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre is a globally known water and sanitation organisation and has facilitated the sharing, promotion and use of knowledge so that governments, professionals and organisations can better support poor men, women and children in developing countries to obtain water and sanitation services they use and maintain.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is a policy institute that seeks sustainable solutions to the world’s water problems. SIWI manages projects, synthesises research and publishes findings and recommendations on current and future water, environment, governance and human development issues. SIWI also hosts one of the other WIN partners, the Swedish Water House, a government-funded initiative that promotes network-building among Sweden-based internationally oriented academic institutions, consultants, government agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders.
• Transparency International (TI) Transparency International, the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world. The TI secretariat is based in Berlin and is host to the WIN secretariat.
• Water and Sanitation Program-Africa (WSP-AF) The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) is a multi-donor partnership of the World Bank with the goal of helping the poor gain sustained access to improved water supply and sanitation services. The program disseminates best practices across regions and places a strong focus on capacity building by forming partnerships with non-governmental organisations, governments at all levels, community organisations, private industry, and donors.

• The WIN is currently funded by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) | German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Development (BMZ)
• The WIN secretariat is hosted by: Transparency International-Secretariat (TI-S)



People

The steering committee of WIN is made up of people from, funded by, advocates of or with connections to, private sector water sector corporations.

WIN Steering Committee

• Dr. Håkan Tropp - Chair Project Director Stockholm International Water Institute (Sweden)
• Dr. John Butterworth Programme Officer, Knowledge Development & Advocacy IRC – International Water and Sanitation Centre (Netherlands)
• Jack Moss Senior Adviser Aquafed (France) - The pre-eminent corporate lobby group for the international water industry.
• Dr. Donal O’Leary Senior Adviser Transparency International (Germany)
• Melody Diobodo Ogwezzy Chief Executive and Programme Coordinator Community Integrity Initiative (Nigeria)
• Janelle Plummer Anti-Corruption Adviser World Bank
• Ramesh Kumar Sharma Regional Manager Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund Development Board (Nepal)
• Antonio Tujan Jr. International Director IBON Foundation (Philippines)
• Henk Van Norden Senior Adviser Water, Environment and Sanitation (WES) section - UNICEF (United States)
• Franz-Josef Batz Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Water Politics Department (Germany) .

Website

Water Integrity Network