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Community-based Water Governance and Intermediary Organizations

Frey, Laura Isabelle LU (2020) EKHS22 20201
Department of Economic History
Abstract
Community-based governance (CBG) has become a widely accepted concept for rural water provision in low and middle-income countries. However, it is being questioned if CBG has reached its limits due to numerous reports of the non-functionality of rural water systems. This study aims at understanding the role of intermediary organizations for CBG and how their relational character can improve rural water provision. For this purpose, semi- structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders around an intermediary organization in the form of associations of communal aqueducts in the province Guanacaste in Costa Rica. The findings of the case study indicate that the intermediary has a two-fold impact as a service provider and as a... (More)
Community-based governance (CBG) has become a widely accepted concept for rural water provision in low and middle-income countries. However, it is being questioned if CBG has reached its limits due to numerous reports of the non-functionality of rural water systems. This study aims at understanding the role of intermediary organizations for CBG and how their relational character can improve rural water provision. For this purpose, semi- structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders around an intermediary organization in the form of associations of communal aqueducts in the province Guanacaste in Costa Rica. The findings of the case study indicate that the intermediary has a two-fold impact as a service provider and as a representative for the CBG organizations of the territory. The latter allows a political upscaling to the national policy-making level and ensures greater visibility of community perspectives. The need for political upscaling shows that decentralization of water systems does not automatically give voice to community perspectives. While intermediaries have the potential to increase the interconnectivity between governance levels, financial restraints remain a challenge and show that the right balance between autonomous communities and appropriate external support is necessary. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Frey, Laura Isabelle LU
supervisor
organization
course
EKHS22 20201
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
9026954
date added to LUP
2020-10-22 07:39:09
date last changed
2020-10-22 07:39:09
@misc{9026954,
  abstract     = {{Community-based governance (CBG) has become a widely accepted concept for rural water provision in low and middle-income countries. However, it is being questioned if CBG has reached its limits due to numerous reports of the non-functionality of rural water systems. This study aims at understanding the role of intermediary organizations for CBG and how their relational character can improve rural water provision. For this purpose, semi- structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders around an intermediary organization in the form of associations of communal aqueducts in the province Guanacaste in Costa Rica. The findings of the case study indicate that the intermediary has a two-fold impact as a service provider and as a representative for the CBG organizations of the territory. The latter allows a political upscaling to the national policy-making level and ensures greater visibility of community perspectives. The need for political upscaling shows that decentralization of water systems does not automatically give voice to community perspectives. While intermediaries have the potential to increase the interconnectivity between governance levels, financial restraints remain a challenge and show that the right balance between autonomous communities and appropriate external support is necessary.}},
  author       = {{Frey, Laura Isabelle}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Community-based Water Governance and Intermediary Organizations}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}