About

GWP’s VISION is a water secure world. Our MISSION is to advance governance and management of water resources for sustainable and equitable development.

OUR UNIQUE VALUE: GWP mobilises action on the global water crisis through a unique combination of social capital, shared values, credibility within the global water community, bottom-up orientation, and expertise. A network of networks, we ensure the ‘voices of water’ can inﬂuence local, national, regional, and global development priorities. We are committed to our role as a neutral convener and respected for our focus on inclusiveness and sustainability.

Learn

GWP creates and communicates information about integrated water resources management which contributes to improved water governance and, ultimately, water security.

Together with our Partners, we provide knowledge resources and capacity building activities for solving water problems.

Partner

Institutional Partners are the basis of GWP's multi-stakeholder partnership. A strong, diverse partnership can bring about the changes needed to achieve a water secure world. In this section, learn about the benefits of being a Partner and meet a few who already are. We invite like-minded organisations to join us!

GWP Regions

This is where you can find links to the websites of our Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs). RWPs are closest to the countries where we work. They share knowledge and learning across national boundaries and are expected to have an open, inclusive, and gender-sensitive policies for bringing together as wide a group of stakeholders as possible to solve water problems.

Capacity building in International Water Law

Key challenges to water security including, for instance, rapid population growth, climate change, and pollution are not bound to specific administrative boundaries. The transboundary cooperation programme was set up to address such critical challenges and promote good governance over shared water courses and aquifers.

The goal of GWP in this regard is to act as a neutral platform supporting the
planning, technical, and financial capacities of actors and governmental
entities that are engaged in managing transboundary water resources.

Objectives and Expected Results

The primary objective of the capacity building initiative in international water law (IWL) is to facilitate good water governance through strengthening technical and institutional capacities of agencies and individuals that can influence and advise decision-makers on negotiation, adoption, and implementation of legal frameworks for water management. The training is designed to increase knowledge about different approaches and tools related to transboundary water management. The IWL training aims to build capacity in the following specific areas:

Strengthen capacities of regional basin organisations and national governments in the development and effective implementation of existing and future legal frameworks that will contribute to water security, sustainable development, equitable benefit sharing, and peace.
Establish and develop a network of experts and institutions that are involved in the design, adoption, and implementation of legal frameworks.
Strengthen a gender-equal approach to capacity building in international water law and transboundary water governance.
Provide participants with tools to integrate the SDGs (6.5) to improve transboundary water cooperation (indicator 6.5.2).
Enhanced negotiation skills of individuals, agencies, and organizations involved in discussions and decision-making processes related to the adoption of water-related treaties, as well as their implementation.
Linking international water law to bridging regional economic communities and basin organisations.

Scope

So far the international water law training courses have been carried out in Latin America and Africa. Since 2015, trainings in Africa have been held at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Regional trainings for Latin America have taken place in Colombia, Peru, Honduras, Brazil, and some online training sessions have been recently delivered as well.

Partners

The training courses in IWL are organised by GWP but carried out in collaboration with a range of international, regional, and local organisations. Collaborating partners include: the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Network for Basin Organizations (ANBO), Makerere University, University of Dundee, International Water Management Institute (IMWI), SITWA Project (Strengthening Institutions for Transboundary Water Resources Management in Africa), Cap-Net, LA-WETnet (Latin American Water Education and Training Network).

Target Audience

Primary candidates for the IWL training are mid- to high-level practitioners and professionals from basin organisations and governments who have a role in negotiating, drafting, or reforming treaties and laws, and those making decisions on transboundary waters. An example of the full list of participants to one of our latest training sessions in Africa can be found here.

Delivery Methods

The international water law training course is normally 1-3 day(s), but online training has also been held. During the course the areas of IWL that are focused on include the role and relevance of IWL; procedural rules; institutional arrangements; dispute settlement mechanism and transboundary aquifers. Participants undergo training on negotiations of a treaty arrangement. Furthermore, the training is sometimes linked to a particular water related Sustainable Development Goal or to a GWP thematic programme. An alumni network has been established for collaboration and knowledge exchange across the regions where the capacity building initiatives are being carried out.

Page last edited: 2/15/2017