The Central America region is generously endowed with water resources, but concerns are growing about water scarcity in parts of the region. This can mean both a physical lack of water and a lack of mechanisms and actions for effectively managing, allocating, and developing water resources. A new GWP Technical Focus Paper focuses on these issues.

The Ministry in charge of water resources in Cameroon organized a workshop in collaboration with UNICEF Cameroon to formally launch the process of elaborating a National Water Policy. The workshop was held in Yaoundé on 20 February, and brought together key stakeholders of the water sector in Cameroon.

India Water Partnership (IWP) in association with one of its network partners SM Sehgal Foundation supported by CAWST (Canada) organised a four day workshop-cum-training programme from 28 February to 3 March 2017 in Samastipur District of Bihar, India on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS). The workshop raised awareness on issues around WASH and possible solutions and built capacities of the participants on HWTS. It assisted in establishing a stronger water network in Bihar by also including activists involved in other programmes.

On the occasion of the 2017 International Women’s Day, and drawing on the global theme for this year: Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality, GWP-Med has asked women water champions from the Mediterranean water community to reflect on: How can the water sector step it up for gender equality?

“Thinking of pastoral care and water policies may sound farfetched for water managers and civil engineers with whom I spend a professional life – but not so. The ways we discuss water policy decisions often closely mirror broader social and ethical decisions.” GWP Technical Committee Chair Jerome Delli Priscoli recently addressed experts from around the world in a workshop at the Pontifical Academy of Science in the Vatican City.

The Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) works to support Caribbean countries in the sustainable development and management of their water resources. Since being established in 2004, the regional organisation has been hosted by its long-standing Partner, the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), in Trinidad.

Under WACDEP Project, GWPEA works together with local populations in Bugesera to protect lake Cyohoha buffer zone by planting conservation and fruit trees along the lake shorelines.

On 28 September 2016, the CamboWP conducted Awareness Raising on Basin Management Approach with 18 participants who are Commune Council Members, Village Leaders and Deputy Leaders and Villagers of the Baray Commune which is located in the Mekong Floodplain.

“Action on water is an absolute and ethical imperative…Acting now is a matter of human dignity, justice, and survival. Waiting to act is no longer an option.” This was one of the strong messages of the Budapest Water Summit 2016, which took place 28-30 November in Budapest, Hungary. GWP global and GWP Central and Eastern Europe joined forces to represent the network at the event.