Bolivia is one of the countries in the region with the least access to drinking water and sewerage, with existing discrepancies in access between and among urban and rural areas. Standardization and quality certification of access to drinking water and basic sanitation are major issues in the national reality and in the sector’s policies. Against this backdrop, the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) and the Bolivian Institute of Standardization and Quality (IBNORCA) has since 2018 jointly implemented the project on the development and use of standards as a contributor to improvements in water quality. Standards (in the form of requirements, specifications, guidelines and characteristics) promote a “rule-based system that contributes to increased transparency and predictability, which facilitates business and investment.”
The evaluation assignment covered the project’s entire implementation period and analyzed the full range of OECD DAC evaluation criteria. The evaluation concluded in March 2021 with recommendations on renewed funding and expansion for a second phase of the project, among others.
The evaluation team consisted of James Alan Newkirk (Team Leader and associated consultant with NCG Sweden), and José Antonio Peres (Team Member, economist and consultant with extensive experience in Latin American countries).