Date: 23 August – 1 September 2022
Venue: Online and in Stockholm, Sweden
World Water Week is the leading annual conference on global water issues organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute. In 2022, the event will be both online and in-person in Stockholm with a focus on uncovering water’s full value to society. The theme for the Week ‘Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water‘, includes the diverse aspects of water, how others view and value water, and to help uncover water’s full value to society.
For more information or to register, visit the event website.
AWP and our Partners at SIWI World Water Week
In-person sessions
AWP Exhibition Booth
Dates: 28 August – 1 September
AWP will host a stand at the Auditorium, Norra Latin.
Thousands of years of lessons: Voices of Indigenous People
Tuesday, 30 August 16:00 – 17:30 CEST / 12:00am – 1:30am AEST
Room 461, Norra Latin and Online (on- site broadcasted session)
Convened by Alluvium International | Centre for Applied Water Science, University of Canberra | Australian Water Partnership
Moderators:
- Sarah Ransom – Australian Water Partnership
- Phil Duncan – Alluvium Consulting
Speakers:
- Bradley Moggridge – Centre for Applied Water Science and Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra
- Erina Watene-Rawiri – Waikato River Authority Board
- Seangrawee Suweerakan – Indigenous Womens’ Network in Thailand
- Socheata Sim – Oxfam
Over millennia Aboriginal peoples have sustainably managed their lands, waters and natural resources for the health of their Countries and peoples. This storytelling session will provide an inclusive platform to share the voices, knowledge and stories of Aboriginal and Indigenous people from Asia Pacific.
More information on this session at World Water Week.
Community Voices: An Australian Perspective on Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Thursday, 1 September 11:00 – 12:30 CEST / 7:00 – 8:30pm AEST
Room 453, Norra Latin and Online (on- site broadcasted session)
Convened by Australian Water Partnership | Leith Boully, former Chair of SunWater and Founding Director | The Hon Karlene Maywald, former South Australian Water Minister | Watertrust Australia Ltd
Addressing water resources issues needs to have people at the centre of solutions to develop the social license to reform water management. Understanding that the science, the values, the cultures, and the community needs are all critically important when engaging communities to achieve agreement on the trade-offs between people. The session will examine the two examples in Australia’s water reform journey where community engagement was treated differently and discuss principles emerging from the case studies which will be of interest to others considering engaging in complex water reforms.
Session speakers:
- The Hon Karlene Maywald – Managing Director, Maywald Consultants Pty Ltd
Michelle Campbell – Assistant Director, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
More information on this session at World Water Week.
Community Voices – Publication
The Australian Water Partnership commissioned Community Voices to provide Australian insights on the complexity and challenges of water reform from a community perspective. This summary provides an overview of the full publication including the key principles to enhance decision making and build resilient communities by authentic engagement of people whose lives and livelihoods rely on access to water resources.
Access the Community Voices Summary Report (PDF 2026KB)
Online Sessions
Water-related investments and economic development
Co-convened by the African Water Facility, Asia Water Council, IRC and Stockholm International Water Institute
Date: Tuesday, 23 August 11:30-12:50 (CET) / 7:30 – 8:50pm (AEST)
Examining the Social and Economic Benefits Created by Water Investment: Highlights and concrete examples of how water investments generate economic benefits at macro and micro-level anchor this session. Panellists will also explore why these (social) returns on investments do not necessarily translate into governments making the needed investment.
This is part of a three-part session, the first of which is online. The first part will spotlight evidence of financial and economic benefits and returns of investments related to water. The session works from the premise that these benefits and returns are best achieved through a holistic investment strategy, which includes investments in governance, planning, and behaviour change. This holistic investment strategy also creates the space for balancing short-term with medium- and long-term investments, and household with community, city-wide and regional investments.
In Session 1 of 3, experts share data and examples of why water-related investments are critical to a healthy economy and population. A keynote speaker from the Government of Rwanda will share his experience on the role of water investments in the macroeconomy of Rwanda. Then, panellists will broaden the discussion to address the economic, social, and environmental contributions of water investments, with special emphasis on the economic aspects.
Lucía Gamarra will be a speaker in this session.
More information on this session at World Water Week.
Water Security Data: going beyond collection to making impact
Convenors – Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Water Partnership, iDE, Plan International, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Water for Women, WaterAid
Date: Wednesday 24 August 07:00-08:20 (CET) / 3:00 – 4:00pm (AEST)
The Asian Development Bank’s flagship water security resource, the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO), is an excellent resource with up-to-date data that holistically measures and compares water security across five Key Dimensions in 49 countries in the Asia Pacific region. However, AWDO recognises that creating this resource is not the final step in improving water security for citizens. For resources like AWDO to have real-world impact, funders and governments must significantly buy-in to the findings and recommendations.
This session will cover the approach to developing water security indicators for the region and making them accessible for data analysis and decision-making for wider use by governments, civil society, and researchers. Additionally, it will include regional case studies where the AWDO methodology has been successfully applied in local contexts by using the data to influence decision-making. Finally, it will discuss the challenges of taking such assessments to the next stage of facilitating their uptake to influence governance and policy.
More information on this session at World Water Week.
Valuing inclusive systems for stronger resilience in water and WASH
Convenors –DFAT, Water for Women, WaterAid, SNV, Plan International, iDE, Australian Water Partnership
Date: Wednesday 24 August 08:30-09:50 (CET) / 4:30 – 5:50pm (AEST)
How do we shift complex and dynamic water and WASH systems towards greater equity and resilience? In an uncertain, conflict-ridden and pandemic weary world, there is no greater priority than ensuring that water and WASH systems are future-proofed for climate resilience, social cohesion, accountability and citizen wellbeing.
Embedding the voice of women and marginalised people in water and WASH systems for multi-stakeholder partnerships, and cross-sectoral collaboration is one of the most effective pathways to strengthen equity and inclusion, so that the ‘invisible’ becomes visible, and hence valued. Valuing diversity, and diverse perspectives, strengthens prospects for a more climate resilient and socially cohesive future.
Convenors will share practical examples of engaging with targeted leverage points in water and WASH systems to reduce inequalities and hence build a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive future for all.
- Peter O’Connor, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Fraser Goff (WaterAid Australia)
- Kencho Wangdi (SNV Bhutan)
- Lucía Gamarra (Australian Water Partnership)
- Silvia Landa (Yayasan Plan International Indonesia)
- Rana Abdel-Sattar and Khemra Ros (iDE Cambodia)
More information on this session at World Water Week.