Good governance around transboundary waters is critical for water security, regional socio-economic development, peace, and stability. Since 2010, GWP has been conducting capacity building trainings on International Water Law (IWL) and water governance. While there is no shortage of trainings on transboundary water issues, the uniqueness of GWP’s IWL workshops lie in the peer-to-peer and cross-continental learning, says GWP Senior Network Specialist Yumiko Yasuda. This has proved to be a successful formula that GWP is now ready to take to the next level – an online platform to support existing training and close learning gaps.
GWP celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2019 on 8 March by joining the global campaign #BalanceforBetter that reflects GWP’s commitment to gender equality. GWP also launched its Instagram account in the lead-up to the day to feature the voices of its global network – starting with the voices of those who speak for strengthening the role of women in water management.
GWP celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2019 on 8 March by joining the global campaign #BalanceforBetter that reflects GWP’s commitment to gender equality. GWP also launched its Instagram account in the lead-up to the day to feature the voices of its global network – starting with the voices of those who speak for strengthening the role of women in water management.
GWP Executive Secretary Monika Weber-Fahr spoke at the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO’s) Commission for Hydrology Technical Conference “Future Hydrological Priorities and Arrangements” on 11 February in Geneva, Switzerland. She delivered a key message on the need for organising so that stakeholders can easily engage with the WMO: “From the perspective of our partners in over 180 countries, GWP is keen to see WMO continue to build its offer to be an easily accessible, reliable and credible entry-point to the world of data and knowledge on the climate/water interface.”
The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) – a joint initiative of GWP and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – is providing targeted drought management support to 8 countries: Ethiopia, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Serbia, Macedonia, and Moldova as part of the UNCCD Drought Initiative.
GWP Central America presents a new case study on the implementation of Rainwater Harvesting Systems with a geomembrane bag in rural areas of Honduras and El Salvador. Women are the main characters of the story.
GWP promotes youth inclusion in water resources management. One of those ways is through a robust internship programme. Civil Engineer Axel Martinez, 26, from Nicaragua, spent five months with GWP Central America as a Young Professional Development Initiative Intern under GWP’s Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP). He says the experience has helped him to grow professionally.
GWP, Cap-Net UNDP, and other partners have introduced a new tool to foster Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) on a global scale. The online course, Unpacking the Opportunities of IUWM for Sustainable Cities, was held in October-November 2018. It attracted 154 applications, with 72 accepted, and a follow-up course is being planned for 2019. “The great thing with the course is that it can be adapted to fit any project as needed,” says GWP Senior Network Specialist François Brikké, who sees a big potential in further developing the course at regional and country level.
This month, Howard Bamsey began his duties as the new Chair of GWP. He did so with a visit to the global secretariat in Stockholm, Sweden, where he met staff and got briefed on current issues around the network. We took the opportunity to discuss his thoughts on joining GWP, and his reflections on some of GWP’s most recent activities at the UN climate change conference, COP24, in December.
