Fostering political participation for better water services: evidence from three cities in India

Evidence indicates that the delivery of urban water services in a manner that fosters secure lives among the marginalised is impacted by individuals’ ability to meaningfully engage in political processes that govern... [ view full abstract ]

Evidence indicates that the delivery of urban water services in a manner that fosters secure lives among the marginalised is impacted by individuals’ ability to meaningfully engage in political processes that govern water. In many cities in the Global South the marginalised are peripheral participants in the political process, either being used as vote-banks or lacking the confidence to engage in the political process. This reality leaves the lived needs and realities of the marginalised outside of decision-making processes, while reducing the transparency and accountability of water governance in the Global South. There is a need to understand how the capacity of political participation among the marginalised can be strengthened in a manner that leads to the delivery of water services that addresses their lived realities and meets their needs and aspirations. This paper draws on interviews with forty-two community members and water development professionals in Faridabad, Delhi and Mumbai, India, to explore their experiences with the political processes impacting on the delivery of water services to slum areas. It identifies five political barriers impeding the ability of individuals to access - and improve their access to – water services, and discusses how these can be addressed by explicitly incorporating a strategy of fostering political participation as a component of urban water development initiatives.