Within the context of IWRM, PROTOS acts as a broker. PROTOS joins the different parties involved: private organisations, public institutions as well as local development actors. PROTOS promotes a global analysis and policy concerning the water management in the target area. PROTOS also adapts its projects and programmes to the preserved rules.

"In the field", in the developing World, PROTOS works according to a "multi-stakeholder" concept. Public services such as the management of the water infrastructure and water distribution belong to the public sphere and therefore must be subjected to democratic control. The most important condition of such democratic control, and of any sustainable project, is an effective involvement of all user groups - with specific attention to women and underprivileged - at the local level.

The most important partners are of course the local municipal communities, the future users of the infrastructure. Departing from their daily needs and experiences they take the initiative of the project and carry the responsibility for the use and management of the installations.

Other important partners are the local authorities. In a decentralised state they are the client-contractor of the infrastructure for the drinking water- and sanitation systems. The farmer organisations take on this role for the agricultural infrastructure. Local NGO’s are responsible for "social engineering" (formation, organisation) and local constructors carry out the work.

The state services, finally, are recognised in their role of regulator and service provider. Thereby it is the government’s role to create a regulatory framework within which the services can take place. The latter should include among others the planning of the sector in the long term, the governing of institutional and juridical aspects, the coordination between all parties concerned, the guarantee that the underprivileged obtain access to basic services too, stimulation of user participation in the management of water, and supervision over the respect for the principles of sustainability and justice.

All parties mentioned above take a common responsibility in the planning, implementation and management of the project. PROTOS guides and supports these processes. In addition, all kinds of other actors, companies and NGO’s can play a role, but this must primarily be one of provision of services, and not of strategic policymaking.

Studies and reports

Doctoraat M. Craps 2005-11-15 ( 1.5MB) Dutch only.