Women-led water diplomacy for a peaceful and secure future

To create a peaceful and secure future, comprehensive decisions on water and climate are more important than ever.

Women need to be more involved in decision-making at all levels related to water and climate. (Photo: Radhika Gupta)

During the month of International Women’s Day 2025, the keyword “resilience” was frequently mentioned in the Women in Water Diplomacy Network. “No challenge is the first or the last”, “let’s become stronger together”, these are the things that network members always remind and encourage each other. For them, resilience is the core value to mobilize all talents in society to respond to global water challenges.

Crisis, barriers and stagnation

Climate change has caused many serious water crises such as floods and droughts, with many negative consequences for the economy, food security, social cohesion, conflict prevention, migration, etc. Therefore, decision-making processes and institutions related to water and climate, at local, national, regional and global levels, play an increasingly important role in responding to challenges that affect the whole society and many future generations. Decision-making related to water and climate creates "capital" for a peaceful and secure future.

However, gender inequality for women and girls still exists as a barrier that prevents them from being given the opportunity to contribute to these important decisions. Women are not reaching their full potential and the world cannot take advantage of the creativity and experience of the "fairer sex". The 2024 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Gender Index shows that nearly 40% of countries are showing signs of stagnation or regression in gender equality, affecting more than 1 billion women and girls. The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 warns that at this rate, it will take the world another 134 years to achieve gender equality.

Water is essential to every community, but its management and distribution are shaped by governance structures, policies and decision-making processes.

Billions of women and girls, especially those in minority communities, lack safe access to basic resources, including water. This directly limits women and girls’ ability to contribute to their communities and perpetuates cycles of inequality. While women experts and leaders are increasingly involved in promoting action at local, regional and global levels to support and sustain water resources, women are underrepresented in formal decision-making positions related to water.

The Gender and Climate Monitor project initiated by the Women’s Environmental Development Organization said that in 2024, women accounted for only 34% of delegations participating in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change process, reflecting the stagnation in the progress of gender equality.

Since its inception, the Women in Water Diplomacy Network has been inspired by initiatives rooted in women ’s rights foreign policy . (Source: SIWI)

Founded in 2017 in the Nile Basin, the Women in Water Diplomacy Network has now expanded into a global community dedicated to promoting women’s participation in transboundary water governance. They are active in regions such as Central Asia-Afghanistan, Southern Africa, North America and the South Caucasus, with the goal of increasing women’s leadership in water resource decision-making.

The fundamental principles

By applying gender equality principles to water diplomacy, the Women in Water Diplomacy Network seeks to increase women’s participation in water-related negotiations and decision-making, build resilience in water-insecure areas, and promote inclusive and collaborative governance so that water resources are managed equitably and sustainably at all levels.

This not only contributes to strengthening cooperation in the water sector but also promotes peace, security and sustainable development globally. This approach paves the way for a transformative water diplomacy led by women, while reshaping the core principles of effective water diplomacy.

First, inclusive and equitable participation is fundamental to addressing today’s water and climate challenges. Talent of any gender is welcome and decisions that affect communities should not be made without the participation of the community itself.

Second, the status quo is not neutral. Inherent power differentials often result in women’s expertise and experience being marginalized in water and climate decision-making forums. Efforts to eliminate gender inequality and to increase direct support for women water professionals and leaders are therefore needed.

Third, listen to cooperate. Through listening, suspicion is removed and trust between parties is strengthened.

Delegates attend the 2nd Global Network Forum for Women in Water Diplomacy in Vienna, Austria on March 7, 2024. (Source: OSCE)

Fourth, sustainable and resilient solutions are needed. Research in the field of women, peace and security shows that women’s participation in peace processes increases the likelihood of reaching agreement, increases the likelihood of sustaining agreement and reduces the risk of conflict recurrence.

Fifth, transparency and accountability. To ensure meaningful participation of women and marginalized groups in water and climate-related decisions, transparency and accountability need to be promoted in decision-making processes at all levels. Gender-disaggregated data need to be collected to assess impacts and design appropriate policies.

Sixth, pay attention to well-being and health. A gender equality perspective emphasizes the need to reduce the time and labor burden that water insecurity places on women and to create systems that alleviate these pressures. This not only empowers women but also strengthens the resilience of communities facing water insecurity.

Seventh, invest in women to accelerate solutions. Transnational networks such as the Women in Water Diplomacy Network provide mentoring, knowledge, skills, and connections for women to take leadership roles in the water sector. These platforms also enable members to share experiences, learn from each other, build trust, and develop common strategies, as well as promote cross-border cooperation to address common water and climate challenges.

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Since its inception, the Women in Water Diplomacy Network has been inspired by innovative feminist foreign policy initiatives, shaping a transformative model of water diplomacy based on women’s participation and leadership. Despite the many challenges ahead, the emerging principles of women-led water diplomacy are a strong foundation for a peaceful, secure and sustainable future.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ngoai-giao-nguon-nuoc-do-phu-nu-lanh-dao-vi-tuong-lai-hoa-binh-va-an-toan-307204.html