Project profile — Technology for Sustainable Water Resource Governance

• Nicaragua (100.00%)

• Water And Sanitation: Water sector policy and administrative management (14010) (50.00%)
• Government And Civil Society, General: Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (50.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (principal objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (principal objective)
• Nutrition (significant objective)

The project aims to enhance participation in democratic processes, strengthen the ability of rural populations to hold their governments to account, and increase the responsiveness of public institutions with respect to water supply needs and sustainable management of water resources in Nicaragua. Project activities include: (1) providing training, technical and legal support to local municipal staff and community water committee networks; (2) water well infrastructure; (3) disseminating tools (smart phones, data plans and a customized app, etc.) to rural populations in the water scarce northwestern region of the country; and (4) training local government officials and the facilitation of networks among water stakeholders to increase responsiveness of public institutions to the need for sustainably managed potable rural water systems.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) enhanced equitable and inclusive participation in democratic decision-making processes related to water supply systems and sustainable water resources management, especially by women and marginalized groups, through the use of technology; ( 2) increased use of science and technology by people, especially women and marginalized groups, to hold governments to account for water supply needs and the sustainable management of water resources; and (3) increased responsiveness of public institutions to people’s, especially women and marginalized groups, need for sustainable water supply systems and management of water resources, through the use of technology.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2022) include: (1) a web-based technological platform and corresponding application CAPSApp for mobile devices to help communities in northwest Nicaragua better manage their local water resources. Also advocated with authorities for their water rights, which they developed, implemented and upgraded based on local needs; (2) 73% (268 out of 368) partner community water committees uses technology to facilitate democratic participation in water management; (3) 1,864 people (49% women) from community water committees in 13 municipalities attended workshops aimed at improving their knowledge of managing water resources. They use information technology to support water resource management and the legal framework governing water in Nicaragua. Each of the seven issue-area series of workshops held had an average of 1,300 participants; and (4) implemented 38 large-scale ($15,000) water resource construction initiatives directly benefiting a total of 28,095 people (51% women).

• Proactive disclosure