IHP-IX 5.1. Raising awareness among decision makers about science-based water governance to enhance community resilience to global change.

Awareness raising of decision makers at all levels on the importance of science- based water governance by the UNESCO Water Family supported, to enhance the overall resilience of communities to effects of global change. 1. Organizing, co-organizing sessions in intergovernmental meetings, UN platforms and processes, and major international and regional events with relevant tailored messages and science-based governance recommendations. 2. Active participation and engagement in international and regional campaigns/processes to promote the role of science-based water governance in resilience against global changes. 3. Sharing with the decision makers the benefits of science-based water governance by developing the link with experimental research basins, ecohydrology demo sites, engaging with the UNESCO Water Family and enhancing the understanding of the consequences of such governance. 4. Engagement with public decision-makers in development planning, pandemic and disaster response, and climate change adaptation/mitigation to provide science-based water input.

Contributing Action Number

CA1.10

Primary Entry Point

1: Lead and inspire collective action

Additional Entry Point(s)

2: Engage better for countries

3: Align UN system support for integration

4: Accelerate progress and transformational change

Output(s)

Output 1.1: Water and sanitation issues are a strategic leadership priority for the UN System

Output 1.2: Action is inspired by compelling and unified UN system communications and messaging on water

Output 2.2: Diverse stakeholders and partnerships are mobilized by the UN system to support countries’ progress on water and sanitation

Output 3.2: Integrated policy frameworks to manage water and sanitation across sectors are supported by the UN system using latest data and evidence

Output 4.5: Governance of water and sanitation is improved through UN system support, including with emphasis on the needs of developing countries

SDG 6 Target(s)

SDG target 6.5: Implement integrated water resources management (IWRM)

SDG target 6.6: Protect and restore water-related ecosystems

SDG target 6.A: Expand international cooperation and capacity-building

SDG target 6.B: Support stakeholder participation

SDG target 11.5: Reduce number of deaths, people affected and economic losses caused by disasters, including water-related disasters

Water-related work on other SDGs

Type of Engagement

Normative support (e.g. development of normative guidance, guidelines and standards)

Implementation (e.g. direct support and service delivery, pilot or larger scale)

Capacity development and technical assistance

Convening of stakeholders

Policy advice and thought leadership

Geographical Scope

Global level

More Information

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000384615

Leading Entity

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation

The Contributing Actions are key initiatives supporting the United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation, aligning individual and joint efforts across UN entities and partnering organizations to advance global water and sanitation goals. These actions are integrated into the Collaborative Implementation Plan (CIP) Results Framework 2025-2028, which provides a structured approach to achieving system-wide impact through coordinated UN efforts.
The Priority Collaborative Actions outlined in the framework focus on enhancing water security, improving governance, strengthening climate resilience, and accelerating progress on sanitation and hygiene. By fostering system-wide collaboration among UN agencies, these actions help drive policy coherence, knowledge sharing, and innovative solutions to address the world’s most pressing water challenges.