The Women in Water Diplomacy Network is a community of practice comprised of both formal and informal women water decision-makers and experts, representing a wealth of collective experience and expertise in transboundary water management and decision-making with focused engagement in some of the most water insecure regions of the world. Originating in the Nile Basin in 2017, the Network is now a global community of women water leaders, and male champions supporting gender equality, working collectively to strengthen women’s leadership in transboundary water decision making with support from a global coalition of partners and members in the Nile, Central Asia, Southern Africa, North America, the South Caucasus and around the world. At the heart of the Women in Water Diplomacy Network’s Global Strategy ‘A Path Forward for Women, Water, Peace and Security,’ is a priority to support ongoing peer-to-peer learning and experience exchange on innovative themes of critical importance to water diplomacy and the Network’s community. The Network aims to convene at least three online learning opportunities annually in partnership with Network members and partner organizations which will be open to the global Network community. Theses for the online seminar series are selected based on direct requests from Network members or elevated as part of the Network’s monitoring and evaluation processes.
Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) are mechanisms used in fragile and conflict-affected areas, which are targeted at trust-building and encouraging dialogue and cooperation between parties. They can take on a variety of forms. The goal is to contribute towards de-escalation and peacebuilding. CBMs may be designed to support various phases of conflict (pre, during and post-conflict), and at various scales, intra-state, and inter-state. CBMs can focus on water and environmental actions with the intent to improve cooperation and to feed into a broader array of peacebuilding and de-escalation measures. To be effective a CBM should create mutual incentives and benefits, foster intergroup or interstate communication, reduce misunderstandings, and build trust between conflicting parties. In the water sphere, for instance, an inter-state or intra-state CBM might foster cooperation between parties on water infrastructure crossing boundaries within a river basin. They may include for example joint projects, joint trainings on water management or joint institution building. A diversity of actors may be involved in a CBM, such as mediators, negotiators, decision-makers, civil society, local municipalities, amongst others. Inclusion of a diversity of actors and stakeholders in a CBM context increases the likelihood of positive and more sustainable impact. Projects at a cooperative level regarding water management have in the past led to some positive outcomes at a state-to-state or community level in different parts of the world, from the Nile Basin, the South Caucasus, to the Jordan River, South Sudan, and elsewhere.
This session is not being recorded and will be held under the Chatham House Rule.
This Women in Water Diplomacy Network online seminar aims to:
- Contribute to the Network’s global strategy by supporting ongoing peer-to-peer learning on critical subjects of importance to water diplomacy.
- Enable discussions, joint learning and the exchange between Network members and supporters.
- Contribute to a shared understanding of key concepts, approaches as well as case studies related to the application of confidence building measures in water diplomacy related processes.
Please reach out to Elizabeth A. Koch at koch@eli.org with any questions.