Unleashing capacity in the water sector: A framework for public entities

Abstract

Capacity development in the water sector is crucial to achieving universal, adequate, sustainable, and resilient services. It has been broadly recognized as a priority, connected with governance and management of water resources and water and sanitation services. Through a scoping review including 153 scientific articles and 103 other documents, complemented with a consultation of experts, this article presents how the concept of ‘capacity development’ has evolved, what levels it consists of, and which are the key elements of success for effective capacity development processes. The article finds that most existing frameworks do not conduct any in-depth analysis of the determinants that define capacity at different levels and that there is no specific framework for public water-related entities. To address this gap, a dedicated capacity development framework is proposed for the public water sector, defining the key determinants to be pondered in the analysis of the situation at different levels and types of interventions to achieve outcomes at each level. The framework will enable practitioners and policymakers to acknowledge the complexity and develop more systematic work on capacity development in water through various types of interventions that can support them.