Bridging Borders at World Water Week 2024
Water for Women at World Water Week, online and in Stockholm, Sweden, 25-29 August 2024
World Water Week is the premier global platform for addressing water challenges. Since 1991, this annual conference has convened a diverse community of experts, policymakers, and practitioners to foster innovative solutions and drive progress.
With a focus on the interconnectedness of water with food security, health, climate change, and ecosystems, World Water Week offers a comprehensive view of global water issues. By bringing together stakeholders from around the world, the conference facilitates knowledge exchange, collaboration, and the development of actionable strategies.
World Water Week 2024 places a spotlight on Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future. This theme underscores the critical role of cooperation in managing shared water resources and achieving sustainable development goals.
Water for Women is actively engaged in World Water Week, hosting and contributing to sessions that explore innovative and inclusive approaches climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). We invite you to join us in person or online to learn about our work, connect with experts, and be part of the global conversation shaping the future of water.
Water for Women will be part of the Australia – Water Partners for Development delegation at World Water Week. This collaboration brings together Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Climate Change (DFAT), Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Water for Women, and the Australian Water Partnership (AWP). Join us at our booth to explore innovative water solutions, share ideas, and build partnerships for a water-secure future.
Monday 26 August
Too Much or Too Little Water: Systems Change for MHH
OnlineAccess to clean water is essential for maintaining menstrual health and hygiene (MHH). Climate change exacerbates these challenges through disruptions to water supply and sanitation infrastructure. This session will explore the complex interplay between water availability and MHH, drawing on case studies from Cambodia, Ethiopia, and India. By examining challenges in diverse settings, including rural, urban, and disaster-prone areas, participants will gain insights into practical strategies for improving MHH outcomes. The session will conclude with a call to action emphasising the critical role of MHH in building climate resilience for women and girls.
Convenors: Centre for Advocacy and Research, India (CFAR), iDE - International Development Enterprises (iDE), Splash, Water for Women.The Margins to the Centre - Bridging Borders for SDG6
Talkshow Studio, Level 5
Progress on SDG 6 — clean water and sanitation for all — is stalling. With the 2030 deadline approaching, climate change is further jeopardising these goals. To address these critical challenges, CFAR is working to improve water and sanitation services in marginalised urban communities in India. By fostering collaboration between communities, government agencies, and service providers, CFAR is driving progress towards inclusive and sustainable water management.
Join the CFAR’s Akhila Sivadas in a conversation on advancing clean water and sanitation for all in marginalised informal settlements of Bhubaneswar and Jaipur. As vanguards for climate-resilient and inclusive WASH, learn how CFAR bridges borders between people, policymakers and providers.Convenors: CFAR, Water for Women.
Wednesday 28 August
Circular, resilient, and inclusive: Transforming water and sanitation service systems
28 August | 16:00 - 17:30 CEST
Room 26, Level 2
This session explores how circular economy principles can create a more resilient and sustainable water sector. We will examine water's multifaceted value as a service, energy source, and material carrier. Additionally, we will investigate how circular practices can generate revenue, reduce emissions, and support sectors like agriculture and energy. Interactive workshops using the WICER and CIRCLE WASH frameworks will provide practical tools for developing circular solutions for rural water projects. An expert panel featuring UNICEF, IWEM, and the World Bank representatives will share insights and experiences. Join us to discover innovative strategies for optimising water management and building a circular future.
Convenors: University of Technology Sydney - Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS-ISF), Institute for Water Resource Economics and Management, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Vietnam Academy for Water Resources, Water for Women, World Bank Group.
Thursday 29 August
Governance approaches for increased water security and gender equity
29 August | 12:00 - 13:00 CEST
Effective water governance is essential for preventing conflict and ensuring equitable access to water resources. This session will explore successful governance models from the Asia-Pacific region that have fostered peace and improved water security. Through case studies and interactive discussions, participants will learn how to build more dynamic, inclusive, and participatory water governance systems. We will examine the critical role of cross-sectoral partnerships between WASH and gender equality actors in driving systemic change. Join us to discover practical strategies for building resilient and equitable water management systems.
Convenors: DFAT, CFAR, UTS-ISF, Plan International, Water for Women.
Tools for Trust – Pathways towards peace for equitable water
29 August | 14:00 - 15:30 CEST
Room 26, Level 2
We are depressingly behind on our SDG targets, threatened further by climate change, conflict, and growing inequalities globally. Accelerating action on SDG6 is urgently required for a peaceful and sustainable future. To combat the two Cs of climate and conflict with the other two Cs of cooperation and cohesion, there is a pressing need to find better ways of working with each other at both systemic and community levels to build the momentum for accountability and trust, to work through a unified pathway to achieve climate-resilient solutions for water and WASH. We know that equality and inclusion are central to this goal. In this interactive session, Water for Women will showcase a range of tools and approaches on how partners have integrated these principles into their programming to more effectively contribute to reaching SDG6 targets, while reducing social and regional inequalities that may fuel conflict in the face of climate change. ‘Clean Water and Sanitation for All’ can only be achieved if decisions are made by all.
Convenors: DFAT, CFAR, iDE, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Water for Women, WaterAid.
Join us at the Australia booth
Monday 26 August - Thursday 29 AugustLevel 4, Booth 4:15
Our booth will be a dynamic hub of activity throughout World Water Week, featuring discussions, presentations, new knowledge product launches, networking opportunities, and refreshments. Join us for engaging sessions with Water for Women partners.
Monday 26 August
10.30am
Research as a pathway to improved practice and innovation for scaling up climate resilient WASH
Join Water for Women, UTS-ISF, SNV, ProWASH and Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) to explore the critical role of research for informing and scaling up climate resilient WASH. This session will showcase examples of how research is being applied to practical, scalable solutions to build climate resilience in the WASH sector.
3.30pm
Tools for Trust Showcase
Join us for an interactive showcase featuring Water for Women partners (UTS-ISF, CFAR and iDE), alongside First Nations leader and Australian Water Professional of the Year, Professor Phil Duncan (HonD). Discover innovative and inclusive tools and approaches that foster trust, accountability and equity to support diverse voices for climate resilient WASH decision-making. Learn how these strategies can help mitigate conflict and build resilience in the face of climate change.
Tuesday 27 August
10.30am
Call to Action for Climate-Resilient Sanitation Coalition: An evidence-based call to action
The Climate-Resilient Sanitation Coalition will present a compelling case for increased investment in sanitation as a critical climate change mitigation and adaptation strategy. This session will outline the Coalition’s evidence-based call to action, which advocates for a paradigm shift in how sanitation is perceived and prioritised. Investing in climate-resilient sanitation can improve public health, build community resilience, protect our waterways and marine ecosystems, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
3.30pm
Courageous Conversations – Security starts in the home
This session will explore gender-based violence (GBV) and the role the WASH sector can and should play in tackling this issue. Central to climate resilience is community resilience. GBV is a major barrier to the wellbeing, health and resilience of women and girls, and hence community resilience. With climate change and increasing scarcity of water resources, there is emerging evidence of increasing GBV. We must and can do better to end GBV and empower women and girls. The water and WASH sectors, including community leaders and male allies, have an important role to play to enable this. With insights from leading experts, including First Nations leader Professor Phil Duncan (HonD), CFAR, WaterAid and Water for Women, we will examine how WASH can contribute to both preventing and responding to violence against women and girls.
Wednesday 28 August
10.30am
Launch of the Menstrual Health Learning Brief: "Menstrual Health: a critical cornerstone of community and climate resilience"
Join Water for Women, iDE and CFAR for the launch of our new learning brief. Menstrual health (MH) is a critical yet often overlooked issue impacting millions of women and girls globally. This brief explores the complex interplay between MH, gender equality, and climate change. We will discuss the challenges faced by people who menstruate, the importance of inclusive WASH access, and the potential for cross-sectoral collaboration to build more resilient communities.
3.30pm
Indigenous and Traditional Knowledges for Climate-Resilient Water Security
Join renowned First Nations leader and Australian Water Professional of the Year, Professor Phil Duncan (HonD), for an exploration of Indigenous and Traditional knowledge systems in building climate-resilient water security.
5.00pm
Booth Reception: The Global Multi-Stakeholder Water and Gender Coalition
Join the Global Multi-stakeholder Water and Gender Coalition (WWAP) for a closing reception. Discover innovative strategies and share insights on the importance of bridging the gender gap in the water sector. Learn about the Coalition's Call for Action and how we can all contribute to create a more equitable water future.
World Water Week is the leading conference on global water issues, the place to explore new ways of managing water and WASH and tackle humanity’s greatest challenges.
Organised by SIWI, this year's event will take place from 25-29 August. Participants will be able to attend both online for free or in person at the Waterfront Congress Center in Stockholm, Sweden.
Register today to secure your place. This year the event will also be open to online participants for free.
For those who can't make it, we’ll be sharing updates throughout the event and our sessions via our social media, so you can follow along.
X: @_waterforwomen
Facebook: @waterforwomenfund
LinkedIn: @water-for-women
For more information, visit www.worldwaterweek.org
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