Politicising the World Bank's over-institutionalised water reforms in the developing countries

This paper challenges the World Bank’s sustainable water management framework. Drawing upon case studies in the developing world, this paper demonstrates how to build a more socially-informed model by incorporating human values into water governance and seeking a deeper understanding of social context and cultural diversity. This paper highlights the need to achieve water sustainability without undermining the social networks and livelihoods of poor people. Successful water interventions depend on our understanding of: (1) history and culture of social relations; (2) existing cooperative relations that shape water participation; (3) people’s livelihood priorities; (4) individuals’ preferred institutional environment; (5) the interplay between new and old institutions through which people get access to resources and exercise agency.