The Interregional Technical Platform on Water Scarcity (iRTP-WS)

The iRTP-WS aims at identifying current fundamental gaps in practice and innovation that can facilitate a real transformative change in water management under the unprecedented impacts of climate change by specifying clear-sighted trade-offs. It also aims to pinpoint possible means for enhancing systems preparedness for water and climate-related challenges through effective governance, capacity building, and E-learnings.
Leading Entity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Collaborating Entity(ies)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA)
International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID)
Contributing Action Number
CA4.44
Primary Entry Point
4: Accelerate progress and transformational change
Additional Entry Point(s)
2: Engage better for countries
Output(s)
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 4.3: Institutional and human resources capacity development support that responds to national needs and priorities is provided by the UN system, contributing to a skilled water and sanitation workforce
Output 4.4: Enabling environments for water and sanitation innovation are supported by the UN system, including policies, partnerships, and transfer of technology to remove barriers, with emphasis on technology transfer needs of developing countries
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)
Cross-cutting work on SDG 6
Type of Engagement
Capacity development and technical assistance
Geographical Scope
Regional, transboundary and sub-regional (multi-country) level
Start Date
Estimated Annual Budget
Below 1 million USD
More Information
https://www.fao.org/platforms/water-scarcity/en

Leading Entity

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.