 Corruption
remains one of the least addressed challenges in relation
to water resources and services. Governments, bilateral
and multilateral organisations have tacitly accepted
corruption in the way water is governed. Corruption
has been seen as something that could 'grease the wheels'
of development efforts. In recent years, thinking has
shifted, and anti-corruption measures are now perceived
as central to equitable and sustainable development.
New research and case studies increasingly show how
corrupt practices are detrimental to sustainable water
use and service provision. Corruption ultimately limits
the scope for improving poor people's livelihood opportunities.
How? For starters, corruption siphons off scarce monetary
resources and diminishes countries’ prospects
for providing water and sanitation for all and sound
water resources management. Corruption:
- Reduces economic growth and discourages investments
within the water sector,
- Undermines performance and effectiveness of both
public and private sectors, leading to inefficient
and unequal allocation and distribution of water resources
and related services,
- Decreases and diverts government revenues that could
be used to strengthen budgets and improve water and
other services, especially for poor people,
- Makes existing legislation, rules and regulations
ineffective, which can drive increased water pollution
and over-abstraction of ground and surface water,
and
- Dilutes the integrity of the public service sector,
since discretionary decision making creates unpredictability
and inequalities and can circumvent the rules of law
and justice.
Why does corruption exist? Corruption is a symptom of governance
deficiencies in both the private and public spheres.
In many countries, enforcement of legislation is weak
and judicial systems are inadequate. When these are
combined with, for example, low wages, huge income disparities
(both within and between countries) and accountability
and transparency shortcomings, personal economic gain
is more attractive than concern for the well-being of
citizens. |
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