WfWP given a platform on first UN Water Dialogue
Lesha Witmer, Steering Committee member of WfWP was invited to speak at the first UN Water Dialogue, held on World Water Day 2017 in New York:
" Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to be here today and share thoughts on the global governance of water from the perspective of major groups, especially women.
Collective efforts of governments, the UN system and non-state actors, got water its rightful place in the new transformative agenda. Not just in SDG6 but also in at least 8 other directly water-related targets.
Countries like Hungary, Tajikistan, Thailand, Switzerland, Netherlands, France and others each in their own way contributed to water getting high on the UN agenda. Highly motivated and knowledgeable colleagues (down here and up there) gave input. That is the basis of partnership!
However, the challenges are too big, the thoughts too new, to depend solely on the willingness of a few. With the main content in place and the targets set, only again collective effort can ensure sustainable implementation.
The report of UN Water on the interlinkages of the SDG6 water goal within the 2030 agenda, published in 2016 makes for very good during flights-reading. My esteemed colleague is going to elaborate on that in panel 2.
It shows that the links between some targets indicate there may be aspects of both positive synergies but also potential conflicts and even adverse effects for “ water” that have to be managed in order to meet the Goals.
Water is local and localized. Localized can mean a small community, a whole continent or even beyond due to effects of virtual water and waste exports, shared water bodies, effects on the hydrological cycle and climate change impacts, and water scarcity as migration driver. In other words water issues are also global and need global exchange and solutions to implement the targets of the SDGs.
As also the UN alignment to the SDG consultation concluded, there is currently no inclusive, all-encompassing process and governance structure to address water-related issues.
UN Water can advise - not act even within their own constituency. Appreciating the work UN Water also as one of their partners, in terms of governance it is faulty and limited and at times inefficient, depending on willingness of each agency and program to dedicate staff time, with still no guarantees that will be supported by their own management and governing governments.
Even the governing bodies of the UN agencies and programs are not the same countries and not the same people – so not instructed consistently.
So where and how do they communicate? We are all confronted with the fact that we have to speak to multiple ministries, departments, commissions to get a real discussion going on how to even address water cross sectoral issues. (slide)
This week, I moderated a session on the linkages between SDG5 and 6 in the framework of the Commission on the Status of Women.
The chair of CSW honored us with his presence, UN Water was represented to give expert advice. But how are the messages reaching the decision-making bodies in the UN to resolve the combined issues? It should not depend solely on organizations like mine, running around the halls of the UN and the missions to make things happen because no formal, effective mechanisms exist.
There are lessons to be learned from others: the Committee on Food Security or the Commission on Status of Women for example.
The Commission on Sustainable Development did set new agendas and ideas in motion, provided a coordination mechanism for governments and an entry point for other stakeholders. Currently the UN structure for water is fragmented, sometimes overlaps and is certainly not all-encompassing. Now we need to adapt and adjust to a new agenda and new challenges.
Currently, there is no mechanism to ensure an intergovernmental, political debate at the UN involving all member states to ensure a balanced all-encompassing debate on water-related issues including fresh and salt water issues, no dedicated UN agency with a broad enough mandate, no multi-stakeholder mechanism to connect and interact at an inclusive global level. It is essential that water finds a ‘home’ within the UN system in order to drive this issue in an efficient way throughout the entire UN Agenda.
Believe me, women know about lack of funding and support – and the competition for that. Please not let historic or current financial interest interfere with the creation of a global mechanism to further the cause of water and all related targets. It is NOT in our interest as a community, people and planet to stay within vertical columns or old niches.
So speaking from experience and with support of numerous NGOs and CSOs around the globe: let’s fix this. Create a platform in the UN where all “ water people in the broadest sense” meet and coordinate, exchange and address the challenges that we share. Where experts – governments, existing expert platforms, and non-state actors alike – meet with each other and with colleagues that are in-charge of other SDG targets. Make sure it is in our calendar to reflect, not just once every four years for two hours in the HLPF.
Let’s create a mechanism that meets on a regular basis to liaise with the governments and experts each year before the HLPF, to examine the water interlinkages within the 2030 agenda as well as the Paris agreement, Sendei and the Addis outcomes. A platform that can be the recipient of the joint monitoring and knowledge exchange mechanisms. Let’s rotate that meeting around the globe to ensure participation and attention of regional groups of governments and other stakeholders.
Women have thought about this a lot, are happy to contribute, exchange ideas and information. In 1992 in Dublin, smart people formulated 4 principles for the way we govern water; they are still valid.
An intergovernmental mechanism for water is needed - to strengthen water in the 2030 Agenda - to support policy guidance and norms - to follow-up and review progress of the water targets. A mechanism to provide for regular dialogue and experience sharing on water between national governments, an entry point for stakeholders at the global level.
If you do not want to decide YET on a mechanism, let’s meet at least next year to prepare for HLPF 2018.
Let’s pay attention to the global AND the local ensuring new ways of working developed to encompass the whole water cycle, to embrace other topics and all their inter-connections, to ensure the involvement of all and the exchange of solutions, to set new ways of working “out of the box”.
Let’s not leave “water” behind! "
I am pleased to be here today and share thoughts on the global governance of water from the perspective of major groups, especially women.
Collective efforts of governments, the UN system and non-state actors, got water its rightful place in the new transformative agenda. Not just in SDG6 but also in at least 8 other directly water-related targets.
Countries like Hungary, Tajikistan, Thailand, Switzerland, Netherlands, France and others each in their own way contributed to water getting high on the UN agenda. Highly motivated and knowledgeable colleagues (down here and up there) gave input. That is the basis of partnership!
However, the challenges are too big, the thoughts too new, to depend solely on the willingness of a few. With the main content in place and the targets set, only again collective effort can ensure sustainable implementation.
The report of UN Water on the interlinkages of the SDG6 water goal within the 2030 agenda, published in 2016 makes for very good during flights-reading. My esteemed colleague is going to elaborate on that in panel 2.
It shows that the links between some targets indicate there may be aspects of both positive synergies but also potential conflicts and even adverse effects for “ water” that have to be managed in order to meet the Goals.
Water is local and localized. Localized can mean a small community, a whole continent or even beyond due to effects of virtual water and waste exports, shared water bodies, effects on the hydrological cycle and climate change impacts, and water scarcity as migration driver. In other words water issues are also global and need global exchange and solutions to implement the targets of the SDGs.
As also the UN alignment to the SDG consultation concluded, there is currently no inclusive, all-encompassing process and governance structure to address water-related issues.
UN Water can advise - not act even within their own constituency. Appreciating the work UN Water also as one of their partners, in terms of governance it is faulty and limited and at times inefficient, depending on willingness of each agency and program to dedicate staff time, with still no guarantees that will be supported by their own management and governing governments.
Even the governing bodies of the UN agencies and programs are not the same countries and not the same people – so not instructed consistently.
So where and how do they communicate? We are all confronted with the fact that we have to speak to multiple ministries, departments, commissions to get a real discussion going on how to even address water cross sectoral issues. (slide)
This week, I moderated a session on the linkages between SDG5 and 6 in the framework of the Commission on the Status of Women.
The chair of CSW honored us with his presence, UN Water was represented to give expert advice. But how are the messages reaching the decision-making bodies in the UN to resolve the combined issues? It should not depend solely on organizations like mine, running around the halls of the UN and the missions to make things happen because no formal, effective mechanisms exist.
There are lessons to be learned from others: the Committee on Food Security or the Commission on Status of Women for example.
The Commission on Sustainable Development did set new agendas and ideas in motion, provided a coordination mechanism for governments and an entry point for other stakeholders. Currently the UN structure for water is fragmented, sometimes overlaps and is certainly not all-encompassing. Now we need to adapt and adjust to a new agenda and new challenges.
Currently, there is no mechanism to ensure an intergovernmental, political debate at the UN involving all member states to ensure a balanced all-encompassing debate on water-related issues including fresh and salt water issues, no dedicated UN agency with a broad enough mandate, no multi-stakeholder mechanism to connect and interact at an inclusive global level. It is essential that water finds a ‘home’ within the UN system in order to drive this issue in an efficient way throughout the entire UN Agenda.
Believe me, women know about lack of funding and support – and the competition for that. Please not let historic or current financial interest interfere with the creation of a global mechanism to further the cause of water and all related targets. It is NOT in our interest as a community, people and planet to stay within vertical columns or old niches.
So speaking from experience and with support of numerous NGOs and CSOs around the globe: let’s fix this. Create a platform in the UN where all “ water people in the broadest sense” meet and coordinate, exchange and address the challenges that we share. Where experts – governments, existing expert platforms, and non-state actors alike – meet with each other and with colleagues that are in-charge of other SDG targets. Make sure it is in our calendar to reflect, not just once every four years for two hours in the HLPF.
Let’s create a mechanism that meets on a regular basis to liaise with the governments and experts each year before the HLPF, to examine the water interlinkages within the 2030 agenda as well as the Paris agreement, Sendei and the Addis outcomes. A platform that can be the recipient of the joint monitoring and knowledge exchange mechanisms. Let’s rotate that meeting around the globe to ensure participation and attention of regional groups of governments and other stakeholders.
Women have thought about this a lot, are happy to contribute, exchange ideas and information. In 1992 in Dublin, smart people formulated 4 principles for the way we govern water; they are still valid.
An intergovernmental mechanism for water is needed - to strengthen water in the 2030 Agenda - to support policy guidance and norms - to follow-up and review progress of the water targets. A mechanism to provide for regular dialogue and experience sharing on water between national governments, an entry point for stakeholders at the global level.
If you do not want to decide YET on a mechanism, let’s meet at least next year to prepare for HLPF 2018.
Let’s pay attention to the global AND the local ensuring new ways of working developed to encompass the whole water cycle, to embrace other topics and all their inter-connections, to ensure the involvement of all and the exchange of solutions, to set new ways of working “out of the box”.
Let’s not leave “water” behind! "
