GWP, GEF IW:Learn and partners are launching a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on “Governance for Transboundary Freshwater Security” at the end of August 2020. The tentative start date is 31 August. The timing coincides with the start of the school year – giving educators the opportunity to build the MOOC into their curricula. One of the MOOC lecturers is Dr Jackie King, who shares a video message on why the MOOC is more relevant than ever. She says that “we are learning the hard way that everything is connected.”

Trinidad and Tobago held a virtual consultation on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 6.5.1 – which tracks the degree of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) implementation. This is the first in a series of 60+ in-country consultations coordinated by GWP this year, in collaboration with the UNEP-DHI Centre and Cap-Net UNDP, under the guidance of the UN Environment Programme. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the planned workshops will be held online. “We firmly believe that an integrated approach to water resources management is needed now more than ever”, says GWP Senior Water Resources Management Specialist Colin Herron.

IHE Delft Institute for Water Education is one of the partners of the Water ChangeMaker Awards. We spoke with Eddy Moors, who is the Rector, and he explained the reason why they joined: “I think it's quite important that we learn from one another and I think the ChangeMakers programme and awards is offering the possibility to exchange with an even wider community than the alumni at IHE has already.”

As part of the ongoing initiative between GWP and the World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW) to make the voices of youth heard on water, we asked for stories on how the current COVID-19 outbreak has changed people's daily routines in different parts of the world. Here, we share 3 of the stories – more are coming soon.

Next up in our series of partners speaking about why their communities should submit their change journeys to the Water ChangeMaker Awards, we shift focus to the environment. We spoke with James Dalton, Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Water Programme.

Liza Debevec joined the global GWP secretariat in May 2020 as Senior Gender & Water Specialist. This is the first time GWP has a full-time person dedicated to gender, and Liza’s task will be to operationalize the gender dimensions of GWP's 2020-2025 Strategy, and more specifically the GWP Gender Strategy and Gender Action Piece. In this Q&A interview, Liza shares thoughts on her new role: “The biggest gender and social inclusion challenge in every sector, not just in water resources management, is that of access, or the lack of access to relevant resources that women and vulnerable communities face.”

Next up in our series of partners speaking about why their communities should submit their change journeys to the Water ChangeMaker Awards, we have two youth organisations. In an energetic and interactive Facebook Live, we spoke with Lindsey Aldaco-Manner, President of the World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW), as well as Maitreyi Koduganti Venkata, Coordinator of the Water Governance Group at the Water Youth Network (WYN).

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has awarded the Government of Zambia a grant of USD 2,184,555 for the development of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for Climate Resilience.

For the second part in our series of partners speaking about why their communities should submit their change journeys to the Water ChangeMaker Awards, we spoke with WaterAid’s Dr Virginia Newton-Lewis, Director of Policy and Advocacy at WaterAid Sweden, highlighting the role of the WASH community.

GWOPA’s Julie Perkins talks about the role of water operators and explains why everyone should submit their change journey to the Water ChangeMaker Awards, get recognition and share their solutions with the rest of the world. “The very courageous and visionary people and institutions, who have taken bold leadership to climate action should really be credited with this”.