United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
UNESCO’s Water Science Programme was founded on the International Hydrological Programme (IHP), which has evolved from an internationally coordinated hydrological research programme into an encompassing inter-governmental programme to facilitate research, education and capacity building, and enhance water resources management and governance.
By delivering education and training, providing data and information, developing and testing tools and methodologies IHP contributes directly and/or indirectly to SDG 6 and its targets. Further to its contribution across SDG 6’s targets UNESCO along with UNECE are co-custodian agencies for the indicator 6.5.2 on transboundary water cooperation.
In August 2018, they jointly produced a report presenting the global indicator baseline. http://www.sdg6monitoring.org/indicators/target-65/indicators652/ Considering the entire water cycle, UNESCO IHP also contribute to implement many other goals that are related to water such as those on poverty reduction and equality [1, 10, 16] , agriculture [2], health [3], education [4], gender [5], energy [7], the economy and infrastructure [8 – 12], climate change and resilience [13], and the environment [14, 15]. Furthermore, IHP also provides contribution to achieve SDG 17, by enhancing global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.
UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) coordinates the work of UN-Water 31 members and 39 partners in the UN World Water Development Report (WWDR), the flagship report on freshwater providing an authoritative picture of the state, use and management of the world’s freshwater resources.
The annual WWDR provides the thematic backbone of the World Water Day and focus on relevant interlinkages between SDG 6 and other SDGs (e.g., water and jobs, nature-based solutions, leaving no one behind, water and climate). WWAP coordinated also the production of the UN-Water SDG 6 Synthesis Report.
In addition, WWAP implements transdisciplinary projects, science-policy dialogues, develop case studies, and enhances capacity at a national level and inform policy and decision-making process.
Multilingual communications tools and community education resources
1. Develop web page / applications for smart phone and tablets in English / French / Kiswahili language
2. Community education activities to raise awareness on water security and water quality in small islands: case study of Pari Island, Indonesia (2016-2017)
3. Smart water management publication
From the 18-21 January, the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships and the Government of Slovenia, with the support of the Government of Portugal as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union are hosting a conference on water. The online event will stretch ov … Read more
With the aim of promoting a virtual space for dialogue and reflection on issues related to water in the Valley of Mexico Basin a seminar will be held from January 19 – May 8, 2021. UNESCO in Mexico, in collaboration with the Regional Center for Hydraulic Security (CERSHI), the UNESCO Chair in Hydro … Read more
World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The theme of World Water Day 2021 is va … Read more
World Toilet Day, 19th November, celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. It is about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. Th … Read more
UN-Water launch Analytical Brief on Unconventional Water Resources UN-Water Water scarcity is recognized as a key challenge to sustainable development and as a potential cause of social unrest and of conflict within and between countries. At the same time water is increasingly considered as an instr … Read more