CWP Benin, leading the consultation framework of non state actors of water and sanitation sector has organized on May 3, 2016 a meeting of stakeholders. This meeting was followed by a press conference on the proposal from the civil society organizations asking that the rights to water and sanitation be included in the constitution of Benin. It came out from discussions that a Note should be drafted and addressed for advocacy purposes to the commission set up by the Government on the issue. A team of the civil society was heared by this commission on 23 May 2016.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, good quality of water has become increasingly scarce. Action was taken and a project was initiated with the objective of conserving water quality and increasing water use efficiency in agriculture. The case illustrates the importance of involving farmers and other water users initially, so that they feel a sense of responsibility and motivation to introduce new approaches.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) launched its new Youth Engagement Strategy at Stockholm World Water Week on August 25th, 2015. The youth strategy supports the wider GWP “Towards 2020” Strategy as does the GWP Gender Strategy, which was launched in August 2014.
On January 12th, 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit a point 15 km southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It led to more than 230 000 deaths and significant physical destructions. The response actions were limited by the underlying vulnerabilities that existed in the country prior to the event and by a lack of coordination among decision-makers. This study intended to improve the understanding of policy-makers, water and sanitation practitioners and researchers on the actions that have been taken and their outcomes in the water and sanitation sector in Port-au-Prince. It revealed that weak governance coupled with poor infrastructure can result in catastrophic scenarios after the occurrence of a disaster.
The Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) has established a long-term, mutually benefitial collaboration agreement with the General Department for Planning and Conservation of Agricultural Lands at the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture on integrating climate change considerations in the latter’s new water and soil preservation planning, as well as on developing a territorial planning methodology using the Douimis basin as a pilot case.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) Sponsoring Partners have announced the appointment of Dr. Oyun Sanjaasuren as the new Chair of GWP, effective July 1, 2016. Dr. Oyun is a Member of Parliament of Mongolia, former Minister of Environment and Green Development, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs. She currently serves as President of the United Nations Environment Assembly of UNEP.
Headquartered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the partnership was established with the end objective of promoting partnerships in implementing integrated water resources management, sanitation and hygiene in the country as a means to foster equitable and efficient management and sustainable utilization of water resources for economic growth and human security.
The third and final “Climagine” consultation workshop was organised by the Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med), in the framework of the regional ClimVar Project “Integration of the Climate Variability and Change Impacts in the Integrated Coastal Zones Management National Strategies”, through two consecutive consultations, one in the archipelago of Kerkennah in Southern Tunisia, on July 28th, 2015 and one in Tunis the day after, both with more than 25 participants from key organisations involved in Tunisia and Kerkennah’s coastal management.