WATER AND SANITATION PROGRAM: LEARNING NOTE 72090 Communications for Development of Water, Sanitation, and Infrastructure Projects June 2011 INTRODUCTION Ten years after the World Bank institutionalized the use of KEY FINDINGS Communications for Development, the Water and Sanitation Program for Latin America and the Caribbean and the World Bank office in Peru held the “Constructive Dialogue: Communications • Evidence shows that projects with a strong Communications for Development of Water, Sanitation, and Infrastructure Projects for Development component are cost-effective. in Latin America� workshop on November 23-25, 2009. • Communications for Development helps reduce This workshop aimed to equip participants from 21 countries in risks and enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and the region with tools and methods for effective Communications sustainability of WSP projects. for Development within the scope of Water and Sanitation • Communications for Development can contribute to Program for Latin America and the Caribbean projects. By democratic governance and accountability. summarizing the content and lessons learned from this workshop and its full report, this briefing aims to promote a • In order to maximize impact, water and sanitation deeper understanding of this field. projects should use Communications for Development tools and methods. • Effective Communications for Development demands DEFINITION AND ADDED VALUE appropriate economic and human resources. Communications for Development is a social process based • There is a need for further research into water on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It is and sanitation projects in relation to the use of also about seeking consensus-based change at different Communications for Development. levels, including listening, building trust, sharing knowledge and skills, building policies, debating, and learning, for sustained, participatory and meaningful change. It is not public relations or corporate communication.1 In a nutshell, Communications for Development: - Behavior Change Communication: aims to help adopt and • builds trust through dialogue, transparency, mutual respect, sustain desired behaviors. and strong evidence; - Communication for Social Change: seeks to empower • uses a mix of communication techniques, channels, and communities to influence social norms. approaches to advance positive individual and social change; - Social Mobilization: engages civic society organizations to work toward a common social cause. • engages and empowers multiple stakeholders (that is, individuals, the community and mass and interactive media) This field of communications could help guide future planning to achieve greater participation in the development process and implementation of Water and Sanitation projects. For and to make interventions sustainable; example, Communications for Development can contribute to: • has four main strategies: • The preservation of the cultures of participating communities. - Advocacy: ensures the perspectives of marginalized • The creation of mechanisms for expanding public access to communities inform policymaking. information and services. 1 The Communication Initiative (2006): Rome Consensus, [Online] available from: https://www.comminit.com/?q=la/node/196336 [Accessed 26 May 2011] www.wsp.org 2 Communications for Development of Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Projects • The development of local capacity. 2) Key stakeholders’ involvement: • Policy drafting and impact assessments. • Challenging the “top-down diffusion� communications paradigm through win-win, participatory, and effective • Democratic governance and accountability. experiences. ACTION • Making the most of oral traditions and putting technical At the World Bank, we understand that development is not information in non-technical terms. possible without participation and that participation cannot be • Mobilizing different government and civil society fostered without appropriate, timely, and relevant communication organizations (including representatives from different faith strategies. In 1998, the use of Communications for Development groups, trade unions, and political parties). in project execution was institutionalized and it was decided that, in order to achieve more positive and sustainable outcomes, • Developing and building the capacities of social actors ongoing dialogue needed to be established and maintained with (including children), so that they can oversee project the various social actors involved in development processes, components. ranging from metapopulations (groups of spatially separated • Promoting proactive media involvement, rather than having populations) to project executors. a reactive (to public scandals, etc.) media. The following summarizes the four key challenges faced when 3) Evidence-based practice: bridging the gap between Communications for Development principles and the implementation of Water and Sanitation • Conducting sound research to help reduce potential social projects in the region: and political conflict. 1) Team work: • Institutionalizing knowledge-management, placing emphasis on both positive and negative lessons learned. • Promoting internal communication platforms that facilitate the organization of project-related information, so that it • Assessing the impact of communication through pre and can be communicated in a timely manner to all involved post-studies. parties. 4) Resources: • Ensuring that users and managers take ownership of • Enhancing the value of Communications for Development projects to guarantee their sustainability. in the project cycle, including an actual budget with specific financial resources. Chart 1: The Project Cycle and Communications for Development Phases2 Project Cycle Phases 1. Assessment 2. Identification 3. Preparation 4. Appraisal 5. Approval 6. Implementation 7. Evaluation Related Documents - Assessment Project - Studies - Revised PID - Project - Implementation - Implementation Documents Information - Safeguards - Revised Appraisal Supervision Report - Completion - Studies Documents Safeguards - Legal - Financial Report - Consultation (PID) Documents Monitoring Report - Impact - Other Strategy - Mid-term Evaluation Documents Evaluation Communication for Development Program Phases 1. Research / Communication 2. Strategy and Design of 3. Communication 4. Monitoring and based Assessment Communication Component Program Implementation Evaluation Intervention and Products Country - Actor Mapping - Project Documentation Inputs - Capacity Building Execution of the Portfolio - Sociopolitical Risk - Communication Strategy - Technical Assistance Communication Review Assessment - Communication Program - Advisory Services Program and Impact - Consultation Implementation Plan - Supervision Evaluation - Opinion Polls Client Survey Knowledge Products 2 Adapted from Mefalopulos, P. (2009): Development Communication Sourcebook: Broadening the Boundaries of Communication. World Bank: Washington, D.C. www.wsp.org Communications for Development of Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Projects 3 Experience has shown that most projects fail because 2. Development of social marketing tools to better communications are not integrated into the staff’s work understand and respond to the needs of local sanitation sequences. Chart 1 illustrates how Communications for markets (Peru) Development could correlate with the seven phases of the During the 1990s, the Peruvian Government invested only 15% World Bank project cycle. of its water and sanitation budget in small towns and rural areas. CASE STUDIES Between 2006 and 2010, it executed only 54% of its planned budget. On top of high levels of inequity and underspending, The two experiences outlined below3 show different strategies investment on water and sanitation is publicly considered to tackle the above-mentioned challenges. inefficient and levels of customer satisfaction remain low. 1. Application of “Citizens’ Report Card� to inform dialogue- In this context, the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program based services (Pakistan) in partnership with national and local authorities, the private sector, NGOs, and selected communities tested the ‘Creating The city of Karachi is divided into 18 towns, each with Markets of Sanitation’ initiative between 2007 and 2010. administrative autonomy. It has 5.2 million direct connections and 1 million joint connections. Out of 376 settlements, only 150 In order to build an equitable and sustainable relationship are officially recognized by the government. between supply and demand, this initiative developed a set of tools, one of which was a needs-based, attractive and Water is an asset that has been politicized in Karachi. accessible ‘sanitation package’. Deteriorating services, weak community relations, and a lack of accountability mechanisms were some of the factors that Based on ideas and recommendations collected through market shaped the context in which this project was launched. research, the package was promoted through the following cycle: a technology catalogue; installation and maintenance The process started with the adoption of a corporate strategy of services; micro-financing services; and information and for the water and sanitation public company, which included educational tools that aimed to encourage positive attitudes corporate governance principles and performance indicators. toward and practices and knowledge of sanitation services. With the aim of making this process more transparent and Those tools included promotional campaigns (for example, more localized, the corporate strategy also included a door-to-door messages); training (of local leaders, community Communications for Development strategy to strengthen citizen sales promoters, schoolteachers and healthcare workers), and engagement mechanisms and media involvement. To inform post-sale educational activities. the communications strategy, colleagues in Karachi decided to use the Citizens’ Report Card. After 24 months of sustained promotional activities, and almost a further year of sanitation market development, this initiative How Does the Citizens’ Report Card Work? identified: • Citizens’ Report Card combines qualitative (focus groups) • around 9,000 households that have improved their sanitation and quantitative (surveys) research methods to collect services; feedback on the quality and adequacy of public services • that the number of households without access to sanitation from end-users. has decreased by 35%; • The final report serves as a point of departure for discussion • that 90% of clients are satisfied with hardware store goods and corrective action. That report is written at two different and services, 86% with provider services, 80% with the levels (for technical audience members and for the general micro-financial institutions’ services and 76% with communal public) and published widely to create spaces for knowledge- promoter performance. sharing and coalition-building. Changing people’s circumstances from those of beneficiaries • The Citizens’ Report Card also provides a summative (waiting for solutions) to those of active consumers (creating satisfaction score that allows quantitative comparison of solutions) proved to be a challenge. Research provided project different services. leaders with a powerful insight: rather than health-related Citizens’ Report Card proved to be a simple, yet effective, benefits, the most important family motivator for investing in method. Project managers and implementers, as well as sanitation is social status, as water and sanitation systems government and community representatives, moved from are perceived by the target audience as symbols of progress. confrontation to interaction and cooperation. This pilot project also showed that local entrepreneurs are not only looking for profits, they also have a commitment to their Ownership was another crucial consequence of using Citizens’ communities, because they want to live in a place of which they Report Card, as members of the public felt their views were feel proud. incorporated in the reform of services in an objective and systematic manner. The media also decided to play a critical role in this reform, as they were obtaining high quality and credible stories in a timely manner. 3 For further case studies, please read the full report. www.wsp.org 4 Communications for Development of Water, Sanitation and Infrastructure Projects IN BRIEF RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Acknowledgements • Communications for Development • The Communication Initiative: builds trust through dialogue, This briefing builds on the www.comminit.com transparency, mutual respect and invaluable experience gained in the • Consortium for Communication and strong evidence. mentioned workshop. The authors ‘Glocal’ Change: • Communications for Development is www.orecomm.net would like to thank all presenters, more effective when it (a) combines panelists, moderators, organizers • FAO’s Communications for rational, emotional and evidence- Development: and participants. The full report based arguments; (b) promotes a sense of ownership of local services www.fao.org/nr/comdev on which this Learning Note is and infrastructure assets; (c) uses • Panos Institute: www.panos.org.uk based was produced by the Water mass and interactive media; (d) • World Bank’s Communications for and Sanitation Program team in brings into play internal and external Development: Lima. Please see the full report for communications; and (e) keeps http://go.worldbank.org/5CHGCEWM70 complete acknowledgements. media stories nationally consistent, but locally relevant. • Communications for Development Contact us can help project managers and implementers, as well as government For more information please visit and community representatives, www.wsp.org or email Yehude Simon to move from confrontation to at wsplac@worldbank.org interaction and cooperation. • Effective Communications for Development requires appropriate resources. The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) is a multi-donor partnership created in 1978 and administered by the World Bank to support poor people in obtaining affordable, safe, and sustainable access to water and sanitation services. WSP’s donors include Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and the World Bank. For more information please visit www.wsp.org. WSP reports are published to communicate the results of WSP’s work to the development community. The �ndings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are entirely those of the author and should not be attributed to the World Bank or its af�liated organizations, or to members of the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank Group concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. © 2011 Water and Sanitation Program