Last year the global pandemic exposed how current governance systems are inadequately prepared to address systemic challenges that threaten humanity. Better preparedness can make communities more resilient to large scale threats. On 2 June, GWP launched a report, “Mobilising Change: 10 years of climate resilient water investments”, which is a contribution to implementing transformative development to solve climate change challenges to water security.
Development partners in the Water and Sanitation sector in Malawi have bemoaned the financial gap that is hampering access to clean water. Data by Malawi’s National Statistics Office shows that 14% of Malawians, about 2.6 million people, do not have access to safe water, and about 27% of the population walk for over an hour to access safe water.
The Togolese Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources (MERF) in collaboration with Global Water Partnership West Africa (GWP-WA) organised from 05 to 08 July 2022, the workshop for the restitution, consolidation and validation of the results of the work of the first meeting of experts on the updating of the framework law on the environment in Togo in Kpalimé, Togo.
A Learning exchange on gender mainstreaming in water resources management (WRM) was organised on September 16th, 2021, to present the findings of the study on that topic. The event was also used as a platform to better understand and discuss how to advance on the key enablers and overcome common bottlenecks for gender mainstreaming in WRM, for those working on SDG 6.5 and SDG 5; and to understand the need for support from national governments and other stakeholders to advance in this key area for sustainable development.
In June 2022, a cohort of young and aspiring water specialists from Central and Eastern Europe will get a chance to experience a week of theory and practice on Integrated Water Resources Management at the Tisza Lake in Hungary.
The SDG 6 IWRM Support Programme assists governments in designing and implementing their responses to SDG indicator 6.5.1, the degree of implementation of IWRM, to accelerate progress towards the achievement of water-related SDGs and other development goals. This directly supports the official SDG monitoring and reporting processes, leading to measurable progress on the relevant SDG targets. The Support Programme is structured around 3 stages and offers also specific support on selected thematic priorities.
The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is celebrated annually on 17 June to raise awareness around desertification and drought. GWP Senior Water & Climate Specialist Valentin Aich, who works on the Technical Support Unit of the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), shares some insights on what’s currently on the IDMP agenda. One of the major activities is expanding the programme to Caucasus and Central Asia (CACENA). Aich is passionate about this but explains that it is a process that will take years to achieve – however, all the elements are now in place and the time is right.
On 13 May, GWP Central America will present a report on the progress of implementing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Central America. The report is based on the national SDG 6.5.1 consultations that were carried out in 2020 by GWP and Partners.
Global Water Partnership West Africa and the Country Water Partnership of Ghana (CWP-Ghana) jointly with the ECOWAS Water Resources Management Center (WRMC), the World Bank (WB) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) organized on October 4, 2022, the regional dissemination workshop on the EPIC Response Framework: innovative governance for flood and drought risk management.
