NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The UN 2023 Water Conference can become a watershed moment in accelerating the global efforts towards the protection and promotion of the rights to safe water and sanitation, a water secure world and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, this will only happen if the Conference successfully facilitates long-term engagement of underrepresented groups across the water sector and with decision makers.

In particular, the Special Event on Water Leadership: Uniting for a Sustainable World will focus on developing mechanisms and opportunities to ensure that the voices of youth, women, local authorities, Indigenous Peoples, and discriminated and marginalized communities, are appropriately reflected and integrated into all aspects of water leadership at the local, regional and global levels. All people are impacted by, and impact on, our planet. Thus, all people must have a role in contributing to a sustainable future.

This Special Event is designed to determine actionable commitments that each participant can implement to support critical engagement with underrepresented groups. It will co-create inclusive leadership mechanisms for the follow-up and monitoring of the Water Action Agenda that will put at the forefront the voices of marginalized communities. It will identify priority intergenerational, intersectoral, gender and geographically inclusive partnerships and commitments to scale up engagement. In doing so, the event shall recognise the need to expand financing mechanisms with strong accountability, especially federal and state funding to invest in youth education and innovation.

The Event will also inspire cooperation and unity across the water sector and across our world. All Member States and all sectors, including the private sector, public sector, civil society, academia, multilateral organizations, NGOs, among others, are invited to participate. It will showcase how together, we can #FillUpTheGlass.

The coordinating partners of this Event include:

• The Major Group for Children and Youth: Major Group for Children and Youth (unmgcy.org)
• The Women’s Major Group: Women’s Major Group (womensmajorgroup.org)
• Sanitation and Water for All: A global partnership to achieve universal access to clean water and adequate sanitation | Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: UN Human Rights Office (ohchr.org)
• UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to water and sanitation: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-water-and-sanitation
• United Cities and Local Government (UCLG): UCLG – United Cities and Local Governments
• Local Authorities Major Group: Local Authorities Major Group | Global Taskforce (global-taskforce.org)
• Water Youth Network: Water Youth Network | Connecting you(th) on water issues
• Water and Climate Coalition: Homepage – Water and Climate Coalition (water-climate-coalition.org)
• UN1FY: UN1FY – Water and Climate Coalition (water-climate-coalition.org)
• International Secretariat for Water: Home – Secrétariat international de l’eau (SIE) et Solidarité Eau Europe (SEE) (sie-see.org)
• International Water Association: International Water Association – International Water Association (iwa-network.org)
• Global Water Partnership: Global Water Partnership – GWP
• World Youth Parliament for Water: World Youth Parliament for Water – Home | Youth network acting for water around the world (youthforwater.org)
• Aither Pty Ltd: AITHER | Advisors in Water Policy and Management, Infrastructure & Natural Hazards
• Wavemakers United: Wavemakers United
• YOUNGO – UNFCCC: YOUNGO | UNFCCC
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Home | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)

Please direct your queries to the following emails: amy.syvrud@unmgcy.org and carolina@youthforwater.org