Monitoring, capacity development and learning for improvement are often addressed as separate processes.Improving sector performance requires a more integrated approach.
Published on: 26/08/2013
On 31st May, IRC organised and facilitated a session on Monitoring for learning and building capacities in the WASH sector. The session was part of IHE-UNESCO’s 3-day 5th Delft Symposium on Water Capacity Development. The session highlighted the need to strengthen monitoring processes that are continuous and collaborative, and to ensure that they contribute to building the capacities of sector stakeholders to provide sustainable water and sanitation services for everyone.
Monitoring, capacity development and learning for improvement are often addressed as separate processes. By linking monitoring with learning and capacity development, we can take action for improvement.
We looked into the experience of developing a country-wide monitoring system in Uganda and in Honduras. Both cases demonstrate the potential of monitoring for sector improvement. Better service delivery requires that people systematically learn from others who are more successful so that they can improve, but also that they receive capacity support.
Capacity needs can be identified for each step in the monitoring process, from deciding what to measure and how, to data collection and to using the data for action.
The session generated a lively discussion on the challenges of sector monitoring and on the link between monitoring, learning and capacities in the sector. The session also revealed that there is more to explore on the topic and practical ways to integrate learning and capacity development better into sector monitoring programme development.
Well-documented experiences from countries like Uganda and Honduras are a useful resource for others who are in the process of developing country monitoring systems. IRC could provide easy access to such case studies for the sector.
