Greetings,
As we mark this year’s World Water Day, the theme “Water for Peace” highlights the complex relationship between water, conflict, and cooperation. With 2.2 billion people without safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF 2023), it is important to progress towards clean water for all while actively acknowledging and mitigating issues regarding water conflict. Historically, there have been more instances of cooperation than conflict over water. However, climate change and the increasing water demand from a rapidly growing population can lead to heightened conflicts, both locally, and internationally.
Uniting to promote water for peace and ensuring equitable water for all requires concerted efforts from stakeholders from all sectors, especially WASH professionals. The DRI/UNR WASH Capacity Building Program – International WASH, focuses on fundamental WASH basics as well as a wide range of WASH management practices like Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) that deal directly with managing sustainable water use and resolving conflict through peace building among various competing interests such as domestic, agricultural, livestock, industrial water use, among others. The program also equips students with the knowledge and conflict resolution tools needed to act as agents of peace in addressing Water Conflicts & Treaties at both local and global levels. Through the program, our students have also conducted research regarding cooperative management of water resources.
The WASH Capacity Building Program boasts a diverse student body with a total of 236 students from 32 different countries where students actively engage in group assignments with peers from various regions around the world including Africa, Asia Pacific, North America, as well as Middle East. This fosters better understanding and strong international camaraderie, which are critical to promoting water for peace.
The CIWAS Team wants to thank all of you for your support as we continue our WASH and environmental empowerment journey together. To learn more about World Water Day, please visit their website here.
