Klaas Schwartz

Unleashing Entrepreneurs or Controlling Unruly Providers? The Formalisation of Small-scale Water Providers in Greater Maputo, Mozambique

Abstract The existing legal and policy framework regulating water service provision in Greater Maputo, Mozambique appears fixated on the official service areas. In doing so it inadequately addresses the geographically varied service provision modalities which characterise the city. We argue that the predominant legal and policy framework does little to support development of improved services in areas unserved by the formal utility. Although ad hoc measures recognising small-scale providers as a temporary alternative to service provision by a formal utility have been implemented, these measures appear designed to increase control over these providers rather than support the service delivery capacity of small-scale providers.

Divergent Sources of Legitimacy: A Case Study of International NGOs in the Water Services Sector in Lilongwe and Maputo

Since the 1980s international development activities have increasingly been transferred from government organisations to International Non Government Organisations (INGOs). In this article we argue that the trend for NGOs to increasingly undertake government-funded tasks leads to conflicts between the different sources on which the legitimacy of the NGO is based. In particular considerable friction may exist between output and normative legitimacy. Output legitimacy relates to the degree to which an organisation is able to achieve specified results. These results are supposed to coincide with specific performance indicators stipulated in project proposals. Normative legitimacy is based on values (as stated in the vision or mission of the organisation) on which the organisation is founded. We find that INGOs have an incentive to emphasise output legitimacy over normative legitimacy. Secondly, we argue that in response to this friction, NGOs are driven to actively ‘create’ legitimacy by organisation presenting projects as being ‘successful’. Thirdly, we contend that this friction may also affect the approach developed by INGOs for specific projects. This approach will focus on those activities, target beneficiaries and select areas, which are seen as offering the greatest potential for a successful project. These arguments are developed by focusing on two water services projects undertaken by an international NGO in Lilongwe, Malawi and in Maputo, Mozambique. Fieldwork for developing the two case studies was undertaken from November 2008 to February 2009 (Lilongwe) and June 2009 to November 2009 (Maputo).

Shifting Governance Modes in Wetland Management: A Case Study of Two Wetlands in Bogotá, Colombia

The concept of governance increasingly dominates the discourse on environmental management. The traditional hierarchical mode of governance has, in many locations, been replaced by other modes of governance in which the market, network, or community are dominant (without substituting the role of the state). In this paper we examine the shifts in the relative prominence of governance modes for the management of two wetlands in the city of Bogotá. In both cases the hierarchical mode of governance was prominent until the 1990s, when nonstate actors became involved in the management of the two wetlands. One wetland is characterized by a mix in which the community mode of governance is prominent, whilst in the other wetland the network mode of governance appears prominent. With the shift in predominant governance mode, the sources of legitimacy on which the predominant mode is based also change. In the case of community governance, legitimacy is linked to identity and shared values, whilst in the network mode aspects such as technical expertise and credentials form the basis for legitimacy. We suggest that the difference in the governance trajectories of the two wetlands can be linked to the different characteristics of the neighborhoods surrounding the wetland and the initial nature of their involvement in wetland management. The cases also highlight the importance of the relative power of the actors, which underlie the shift from one predominant mode of governance to another mode, as it impacts their ability to influence decision making. The cases illustrate the changing nature of this relative power in wetland management in Bogotá.

Instruments of Urban Governance

Governance instruments are the operational tools of public policy. While the functionalist approach sees them as neutral tools aiming to solve problems, the political sociology approach considers them as a means to incorporate a specific representation of the issue that they seek to influence. We review different taxonomies of governance instruments and highlight a change in instruments used when moving from hierarchical government to network governance. The neighbourhood revitalization policy in the Netherlands and water supply in urban Uganda are used as examples to discuss potentials and limits of urban governance instruments. They show the importance of framing, governance complexity, geographic specificities and implementation at different, often interrelated, scale levels. A further exploration of intelligent instruments is proposed for guiding extremely complex systems such as cities in a more organic manner.

Rejuvenating a Veteran Benchmarking Scheme: Benchmarking in the Dutch Drinking Water Sector

The voluntary benchmarking system of the Dutch drinking water sector has matured over time. Nowadays it is Europes most veteran benchmarking scheme of drinking water companies. The system has been praised by many; although also critical notes are heard on whether the system is still as appropriate and effective as it once was. The recent legislative change from a voluntary to a mandatory system provides an opportunity for reflection and change. This paper assesses the lessons learnt from the existing system through an analysis of stakeholder views, in order to identify ways for enhancement.

Occupational genders and gendered occupations: the case of water provisioning in Maputo, Mozambique

Abstract Taking issue with how associations between technical prowess or entrepreneurship and masculinity tend to be taken for granted or are seen as stemming from natural or intrinsic gender differences, over the last two decades feminist scholars have developed theoretical approaches to understand the gendering of professions and abilities as the performative outcome of particular cultures and histories. We build on these insights to explore how associations between masculinities, technology and entrepreneurship shape ideas and practices of small-scale water provision in Maputo. Our findings show how activities (i.e. technical craftsmanship, hard physical work) or abilities (i.e. risk-taking, innovativeness) regarded as masculine tend to be considered the defining features of the profession. This shapes how men and women make sense of and talk about their work, each of them tactically emphasizing and performing those aspects best fitting their gender. Our detailed documentation of men’s and women’s everyday involvements in water provisioning challenges the existence of sharp boundaries and distinctions between genders and professional responsibilities. It shows that water provisioning requires many other types of work and skills and male and female household members collaborate and share their work. The strong normative-cultural associations between gender and water provisioning lead to a distinct under-recognition of women’s importance as water providers. We conclude that strategies to effectively support small-scale water businesses while creating more space and power for women involved in the business require the explicit recognition and re-conceptualization of water provisioning as a household business.

Finnish Water Services – Experiences in Global Perspective

No abstract available.

Framework for Analysing Institutional Capacity for Wetland Management: The Case of the Gemenc Floodplain

Water is one of the most important natural resources in the context of adaptation to global climate change (GWP 2007). The changing global climate is leading to significant effects on the availability and allocation of water in most river basins. Water collection, filtration and storage in wetlands will play an increasingly important role to secure drinking water and fish supply, availability of water for irrigation and wastewater management or even flood protection. Wetlands provide important services for local communities (e.g. food, drinking water, wild products and raw materials for industry) and play an important role in water purification, flow regulation, and spreading of waterborne diseases. At the same time many wetlands are vulnerable to climate change, e.g. to changes in water allocation or nutrient loading. Junk (2002) and Zsuffa et al. (2008) predict that the increased droughts, water consumption and waste water production will result in further degradation of wetland ecosystems worldwide.