Strengthening mutual accountability in partnerships for WASH

The Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership commissioned a two-part research report to inform the evolution and refinement of its Mutual Accountability Mechanism (MAM), a tool for partners to hold each other accountable for progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first part looks at the concept of mutual accountability, as well as a literature review, interviews and investigation of partnerships beyond the WASH sector, whereas this second part is an empirical study of multi-stakeholder collaboration, accountability, MAM implementation and COVID-impacts in WASH in six selected SWA partner countries: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Kenya, Peru and Somalia. The case studies reveal that many platforms are functioning poorly and therefore the report recommends strengthening WASH multi-stakeholder processes at the national level, as well as further developing the MAM. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a mixed impact on sector collaboration and accountability, highlighting the value of partnerships. New opportunities for improved sector collaboration have emerged, as well as opportunities to raise the profile of WASH and support COVID-19 prevention.