In designing the activities of the programme, the inequality and inequity of human development in Mexico will be taken into account, both in terms of income and wealth and in terms of access to certain basic necessities, as well as various environmental conditions. This inequality and inequity manifests itself in a variety of ways, including the regional aspect, the size and location of a community, socioeconomic stratum and, without doubt, the issue of gender.
Because of the enormous size of the country and the size and dispersion of the poor population with inadequate access to quality W&S, it was deemed prudent to begin the programme with a limited coverage of certain selected zones or regions, based on the coordinated interagency execution of case studies with an emphasis on marginalised populations. An important criteria in selecting the areas was judged to be that, as far as possible, the programme should cover areas marked by a greater lack of W&S and higher incidence of poverty. As part of this, and in a more general manner, it is expected that the a priori selection will include communities in the following locations: rural areas, peri-urban areas and cities of different sizes, located in regions with different levels of human development.
Equally important in designing the projects that are part of the programme is the recognition of democratic governance as a principal axis of the planned work. As a consequence, among the activities proposed to achieve the programme's results, a central task is the organisation of workshops and consultation meetings, the spread of information and holding training activities with and among representatives of civil society (particularly the beneficiary population from the selected poor communities).
The proposed W&S programme, an important theme for democratic governance and the economic and social development of the majority, requires work to be coordinated not only with civil society representatives, but also with various government bodies, particularly regulatory agencies. To this end, the programme plans to work with counterparts from government ministries directly involved in W&S issues, and with those that are involved in social development and the allocation of public resources, including legislators and the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. The project design aims to present transparently, to both civil society and those responsible for economic policy, the economic and social costs inherent in the inadequate access to W&S that millions of Mexicans suffer from,. This process requires that the identification and measurement of the adverse consequences associated with the inadequate W&S quality and availability be included among the project's activities. It is to be hoped that highlighting these consequences in economic terms will lead to treasury and social policy authorities making the issue of W&S a priority in both budgeting and public administration.
Two aspects emerge from the design and orchestration of the present project. One is the explicit recognition of the importance of gender equity in making progress toward the increasingly effective and efficient social and economic management of W&S as part of an environmentally sustainable strategy to combat poverty. It is of course women who play a disproportionate role in the home. The second aspect, which is linked to the first, concerns risk management with regard to hydrometeorological disasters.
Finally, the added value of the proposed project will be enhanced by the fact that concerted execution by the United Nations System will enable the lessons learned from W&S management experiences in other developing countries, both in Latin America and from other continents, to be transmitted to civil society and government in Mexico. In particular, this will enable a critical review of the country's current standards and regulations in the field, to exploit the advantages and diminish the risks that state and market interventions imply for poor populations.
Among the programme's actions, the following general aspects stand out: i) pilot projects on integral water management, as agreed at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development's 13th session; ii) analysis and dissemination of experiences with technologies appropriate to W&S, sanitation and the rural and urban environment; iii) validation of schemes for social participation from the planning stage to the sustainable operation of systems; iv) the propagation of a culture of good water use, taking the multiculturalism of Mexican society into account. To sum up, the starting point is respect for Mexico's experience and principles in social participation, including the actors involved in each project and the support of the cooperation assistance offered by the programme.
More concretely, the list of proposed activities to be undertaken together with national and local partners includes: i) cases studies; ii) expert meetings; iii) workshops and diffusion seminars for the beneficiary population; iv) drawing up analytical studies based on field research preferably with a regional comparative aspect; v) studies based on best regional practice on the revision of laws, standards and regulations, vi) training activities on selected issues, regarding both analysis, public policies and conflict resolution and the development of democratic governance.
The programme also contains a series of pilot exercises and analyses of comparative experiences in crucial aspects of the creation, provision, sale and distribution of W&S services for the benefit of the poor. Its extension and relevance will depend in no small measure on its appropriation by partners and the extent of its results and progress in constructing a culture of democratic governance in W&S management. Frequent, transparent and open contact with representatives, both of civil society and the different levels of government, will enable an objective and systematic appreciation of the programme's progress, delays and limitations. It would therefore seem appropriate to establish an advisory and monitoring group for the programme containing both representatives of the various relevant sectors and national and international W&S experts.
