Background

In April 2008, the International Working Group were presented with three detailed literature reviews on financing, regulation and PSP, which had been generated at the request of national members. The initial papers were to serve as the springboard for discussion and decisions on any further development of the concept for Thematic Papers.

The three draft literature reviews were only ever developed in draft form and should not be treated as indicative of The Water Dialogues views and perspectives given the multistakeholder nature of the project. However, for information they are attached here:

April 2008 - Literature Review - Financing - By Robin Simpson
April 2008 - Literature Review - PSP - By Hilary Coulby and Robin Simpson
April 2008 - Literature Review - Regulation - By Kate Martin and Robin Simpson

Following the April 2008 meeting there was agreement to hire two consultants to complete the work. The Water Dialogues commissioned Karen Bakker and Sophie Trémolet, to author four thematic papers on prevalent issues in the water and sanitation sector and how these have been tackled in The Water Dialogues country processes. These issues were identified by national members of the project as crucial to their own research and discussions. Furthermore, members sought some illustration of how, at national level, their work related to general international trends and debates.

Some of the aims of the papers were:

• To provide a framework for external audiences for understanding The Water Dialogues process
• To evaluate the impact of the Dialogues process and present this evaluation to donors, Water Dialogues’ participants and a wider audience.