Secrétariat international de l'eau - International Secretariat for Water

06/17/2026

🎉Historical pivot for youth and global water governance 🔀

At UNESCO HQ in Paris from June 1 to 5, the Council of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) 🏛️has officially adopted Youth4Water 💧as a new Flagship Initiative, with the full agreement of its 36 Council Member States at their 27th session. 🎉

Not only does it establish the first institutional framework for youth participation within the UN water system, it will serve as umbrella mechanism for youth in the water sector throughout its three priority areas🎯(Education and Capacity Development, Career Opportunities and Innovation, Meaningful Youth Engagement in Water Governance and Management) allowing for improved readability, accessibility, and coordination.🤝

The International Secretariat for Water has been working for several decades to improve🌟 access to safe drinking water and sanitation by engaging youth in the institutional arena of local to global cooperation spaces🌍, to integrate young professionals and place these future leaders next to institutions, governments, and international organizations. 🔜

This is a collective work though, and it has to remain so. Youth4Water will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates at Khalifa University and officially launched at the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, organized by the UAE and Senegal🗓️. The initiative will then be operationalized through multiple partners from the Global Youth Movement for Water (GYMW). 🤜🤛

Building on its commitment as Secretariat of the GYMW, ISW is pleased to announce its role of Operational Secretariat for the Youth4Water Flagship Initiative.📢 This responsibility entails the coordination among partners for the implementation of activities and its reporting to the IHP Council. 🎯

Our sincerest thanks to the UNESCO IHP for your trust and leadership, to the hosts United Arab Emirates Khalifa University for this crucial opportunity for youth and global water governance, to the Netherlands UNESCO WMO Water Committee for your commitment to water education and youth, to the 40 water youth organizations who put together the Water Youth Strategy and all Global Youth Movement for Water partners who have been translating it into local and regional realities, including during the 2025 SWWW Youth session - Asian Development Bank , Global Water Partnership, Swiss Water Partnership Youth, Swiss Development & Cooperation, Geneva Water Hub, LAC , World Youth Parliament for Water, the European Youth Parliament for Water - EYPW and WYPW, UNESCO , International Water Association , AFR'EAU, AJPEAS, Wavemakers United , مركز الشباب العربي Arab Youth Center and all allies that are with us in one way or another to support and empower the Water Generation.

06/10/2026

📢Latin America and the Caribbean Water RoadMap 📢

One year after the adoption of the Roadmap for Water in Latin America and the Caribbean, regional authorities, civil society actors, and young leaders gathered for a roundtable discussion. 💬
The goal was to call for action 🗣️ and discuss how the region should present itself at the 2026 United Nations Water💧 Conference in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).

📖 To read the full article: https://www.sie-see.org/en/article/home-page/latin-america-an-the-caribbean-water-roadmap-regional-leaders-and-youth-call-for-action-ahead-of-the-2026-un-water-conference/

We would like to thank Valdimir Arana (ISW) as well as the speakers and partners for their participation: Mrs. Betsabé Atencio representing Panama’s Minister, Juan Carlos Navarro, Mr. Juan Carlos Castro, Mrs. Grace Villacis, Mrs. Carla Elias, and
Mrs. Carla Toranzo




World Youth Parliament for Water Gobierno de Mendoza - Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía UN Environment Programme Direction du développement et de la coopération| Ministerio de Ambiente de Panamá | Ministerio del Ambiente - Perú Abis Bolivia AIDIS Honduras : Asociacion Interamerican de Ingenieri Sanitaria Santiago Gestor Estrategico Betsabe Atencio Carla Elis Moncada Aurora Mija Yangua Grace Villacis B. Handel Mux Roquel Vladimir Arana

Exactly one year after the historic adoption of the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Water Roadmap by regional Ministers of the Environment, a high-level roundtable co-orginazed by the International Secretariat for Water (ISW) and the LAC chapter of the World Youth Parliament for Water convened...

06/10/2026

🚨 REMINDER - OPEN TO ALL

Butterfly Effect's General Assembly : civil society's organizations are aligning their advocacy initiatives together the 2026 UN Water Conference ! 🌍

📅Monday, June 29th, 2026
⏰ 3:30 - 5:30 pm CET
📍Virtual (on Zoom)

✅ Your organisation is part of the coalition ?
✅ You would like to participate in the coalition's advocacy initiatives ?
✅ You would like to share perspectives and ask questions about inclusive water governance towards the UN Conferences ?

Join us and help us shape water governance from local to global ! 🦋
👉 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/eNcJh3AEQBOxidMwuB5Dng #/registration

The International Secretariat for Water is operating the Secretariat of the Butterfly Effect coalition.



Coalition Eau Women for Water Action contre la Faim (France) AOSED- An Organization for Socio-Economic Development FANSA Redes del Agua European Youth Parliament for Water - EYPW

06/09/2026

📣The Butterfly Effect coalition is launching its Global Online Consultation to build its policy paper for the 2026 UN Water Conference.

📅 Deadline: June 29, 2026
🗣️ Available in English, French, and Spanish!

Your organisation is a member of the coalition ? Help them strengthen global water governance. Share with your networks and contribute today!

👉https://forms.gle/Yrdq9L6ERxx6n4vR9

📣The Butterfly Effect coalition is launching its Global Online Consultation to build our policy paper for the 2026 UN Water Conference.

We want to ensure that the unique perspectives and field realities of our member organizations are heard loud and clear on the international stage. Whether you are attending the conference or advocating from office, your voice is essential to ensure the promotion of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation for all, leaving no one behind. 🌎

📅 Deadline: June 29, 2026
🗣️ Available in English, French, and Spanish!

Help us strengthen global water governance. Share with your networks and contribute today!

👉https://forms.gle/Yrdq9L6ERxx6n4vR9



[FR]

📣 La coalition Butterfly Effect lance sa Consultation Mondiale en Ligne pour co-construire notre document de position officiel en vue de la Conférence des Nations Unies sur l'eau 2026.

Nous voulons garantir que les perspectives uniques et les réalités de terrain de nos organisations membres soient entendues haut et fort sur la scène internationale. Que vous participiez à la conférence ou que vous meniez des actions de plaidoyer depuis chez vous, votre voix est essentielle pour promouvoir les droits humains à l'eau potable et à l'assainissement pour tous, sans laisser personne de côté. 🌎

📅 Date limite : 29 juin 2026
🗣️ Disponible en français, anglais et espagnol !

Aidez-nous à renforcer la gouvernance mondiale de l'eau. Partagez au sein de vos réseaux et contribuez dès aujourd'hui !

👉 https://forms.gle/Yrdq9L6ERxx6n4vR9



[ESP]

📣 La coalición Butterfly Effect lanza su Consulta Global en Línea para elaborar nuestro documento de posición política oficial de cara a la Conferencia del Agua de la ONU 2026.

Queremos garantizar que las perspectivas únicas y las realidades territoriales de nuestras organizaciones miembros se escuchen con fuerza en el escenario internacional. Ya sea que asista a la conferencia o promueva acciones desde su país, su voz es fundamental para garantizar los derechos humanos al agua potable segura y al saneamiento para todos, sin dejar a nadie atrás. 🌎

📅 Fecha límite: 29 de junio de 2026
🗣️ ¡Disponible en español, inglés y francés!

Ayúdenos a fortalecer la gobernanza global del agua. ¡Comparta con sus redes y contribuya hoy mismo!

👉 https://forms.gle/Yrdq9L6ERxx6n4vR9



Coalition Eau Secrétariat international de l'eau - International Secretariat for Water Action contre la Faim (France) Women for Water Redes del Agua European Youth Parliament for Water - EYPW Posceas Senegal ANEW Freshwater Action Network

06/08/2026

📢 Youth perspectives on investments for water 👀

Bridging the global water funding gap requires a shift in how international investments are targeted. As the international community prepares for the 2026 UN Water Conference, youth shares its perspectives on Interactive Dialogue F "Investments for water". 💧

Youth professionnals writing for this article in The Water Diplomat highlight that international investment pathways must extend beyond physical infrastructure to build climate-resilience. Funding must be strategically directed toward human capacity and intergenerational knowledge transfer to equip the next generation. ✨

Intergenerational justice and capacity building are essential components of sustainable water finance. ✊

👉 Discover now this full analysis here: http://www.waterdiplomat.org/story/2026/06/interactive-dialogue-f-investments-water-youth-perspective?b=water-diplomat&r=/search

Thank you Dr. Tobias Schmitz moina Alhajji🍉🇸🇾 World Youth Parliament for Water Coline Arnoux Daniel De Paula Megi Marku Anna Mirkó for your insightful contributions !



Swiss Development & Cooperation Agence de L'eau Artois Picardie

06/08/2026

🚨ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO APPLY

06/01/2026

05/29/2026

📢 DEADLINE EXTENDED📢

💧 Call for Applications — 17th European Youth Parliament for Water (EYPW)

Are you passionate about water governance, transboundary cooperation, and the future of Europe's river basins? Do you want to have a real say in how our watersheds are governed? This is your chance.

Since 1998, the European Youth Parliaments for water have been taking action for water management and governance throughout Europe. For its 17th edition, the EYPW will place transboundary river basin governance at the very heart of its programme - uniting young people from across Europe to build a shared vision and become active citizens of their own river basin.

Apply and join us in the Upper Rhine Region this September for a unique week of hands-on learning and cross-border dialogue dedicated to the governance of transboundary river basins, and marking the beginning of a two-year journey toward concrete solutions shaped and carried forward by, for and with young people from across Europe.

✅ You are between 18 and 30 years old and able to communicate in English
✅ You are passionate about water management and governance from an interdisciplinary, intersectorial and intergenerational perspective
✅ You currently reside in one of our partner countries (priority given to candidates residing within transboundary river basins)
✅ You are available from 20 to 26 September 2026 and committed to stay involved in the EYPW for the next two years

Why join?
💡 Gain the knowledge, tools and experience to become an active citizen of your own basin - and bring back a culture of integrated water management and governance to your territory
🌐 Connect with young water professionals and advocates from across Europe's transboundary river basins - and become part of a community of future water leaders
🤝 Engage with basin authorities, civil society, communities and institutions - and learn from their governance models and share your own basin's story to contribute to building more inclusive transboundary water management and governance across Europe
🌍 Exercise real democratic responsibility! Elect your representatives, adopt a joint declaration, and carry forward a collective action plan beyond the week

📅 Application deadline: 10 June 2026 : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGQjEADIhy0avUly9yjTu7O4lad8QklcTufmQSY7aSoFNYlQ/viewform
🔗 Learn more about the EYPW and previous editions: https://www.sie-see.org/en/project/eypw/



European Youth Parliament for Water - EYPW Toute l'Alsace Swiss Development & Cooperation Agence de L'eau Artois Picardie Agence de l'eau Rhin-Meuse International Network of Basin Organizations - INBO GoodPlanet Belgium Earth Forever Foundation International Sava River Basin Commission Compass Eine Welt Netz NRW Orama Cyprus , GWP Magyarorszag Alapitvany, Vilniaus universitetas / Vilnius University

05/28/2026

🙌 Youth are no longer asking for a seat at the table — they are helping shape the global water agenda. 💧

As the 4th High-Level International Conference on the Water Action Decade closes in Dushanbe, the International Secretariat for Water reaffirmed its role at the forefront of global civil society and youth influence in water governance. 🌍

Through the engagement of our youth representatives, Gazi Nouman and Emira Seidenalieva, the priorities of young water professionals were directly integrated into international policy discussions preparing the 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conferences. ✍

During the International Advisory Committee consultations, they successfully contributed to securing dedicated language in the final declaration calling for strengthened access for youth, women, and Indigenous communities to skills development, financing opportunities, and decision-making spaces. ✨

They also advanced concrete implementation pathways for the Water Youth Strategy, including:

💧 capacity strengthening for young water leaders;
💧 co-funding mechanisms for youth-led initiatives;
💧 intergenerational partnerships connecting institutions and emerging leaders;
💧 and stronger protection of water and sanitation infrastructure in conflict-affected regions.

This is the shift we need: from symbolic participation to institutionalized youth leadership. 🎯

For decades, the International Secretariat for Water has worked to connect youth networks, governments, international organizations, and local actors to ensure that the next generation is not only consulted — but empowered to co-design solutions for water security, peace, and climate resilience. 🍃

A sincere thank you to Gazi, Emira, our colleagues in Tajikistan, and partners including Henk Ovink for helping advance a more inclusive and action-oriented global water governance agenda. 😊

Thank you as well to UNESCO , UNICEF , UN-Water , the OSCE – The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Swiss Development & Cooperation , and all partners contributing to this collective momentum.