Water for people.pdf - WHO Thailand Digital Repository

G O V E R N I N G W A T E R W I S E LY F O R S U S T A I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T / 3 8 3The heavy dependence on public funding and unclear financingmechanisms, institutions and policies are some of the investmentcharacteristics in many developing countries. These issues have to beaddressed together with the need for increased financing. Thegovernment plays an important role in providing incentives to privatefinance by establishing clear regulatory and institutional frameworks.Governments should also ensure that poor people are served andcan afford water-related services. Countries’ economies andprospects for economic growth remain highly dependent on waterand other natural resources. There is a growing need to adequatelyreflect the use of water and other natural resources in nationalincome accounts. Additionally, there is an increasing demand forpolicies and institutional frameworks that can correct market failuresand the economic and social undervaluation of water resources.ConclusionsThe water crisis is essentially about how we as a society and asindividuals perceive and govern water resources and services. Althoughprogress in water governance and related management areas has beenincredibly slow and uneven, there are encouraging signs that watergovernance reform is taking place in many countries, promoting andfacilitating coherent policy frameworks and institutional integrationinstead of fragmentation, partnerships and participation.Water governance will be improved by raising the political will toovercome obstacles and implement water-related commitmentsmade at Rio and afterwards. Although water reforms are evolving inmany countries, much remains to be done to achieve the objectivesof integrated approaches, sustainable development of waterresources and the delivery of adequate water services.Water resource issues are complex and transcend the watersector itself: indeed, there is an urgent need to broaden the horizonof water issues outside of the water sector. Macro-economicdevelopment, population growth and other demographic changeshave greater impacts on water demands than water policy. Thisemphasizes the importance for water professionals to increase theirunderstanding of broader social, economic and political context,while politicians and other key decision-makers need to be betterinformed about water resource issues. Otherwise water will continueto be an area for political rhetoric and lofty promises instead ofimplementation of sorely needed actions.Progress since Rio at a glanceAgreed actionProgress since RioEstablish by 2000 national action programmes for IWRMEmphasize beneficiaries’ involvement in all aspects of water resource management and developmentEnsure that interests of all stakeholders are included in the management of water resourcesEstablish appropriate institutional structures and network of institutions for IWRMDevise legal instruments for equitable sharing of water resources and for the implementation of IWRMEstablish subsectoral targets for all freshwater programme areasInitiate effective programmes for institutional and human capacity-building for IWRMEffective mobilization of financial resources held by various stakeholdersUnsatisfactory Moderate Satisfactory