On September 4 and 5, the in person meeting of the Network of Women in Water Resources in Central Asia and Afghanistan was held, which gathered women managers, experts and diplomats from five countries of our region.
In 2021, the OSCE OCEEA launched the “Women, Water Management, and Conflict Prevention – Phase II” project, initiating the implementation of the Mentorship and Career Growth Program aimed at uniting and supporting women professionals in the field of water resource management from five countries in Central Asia and Afghanistan, as well as enhancing their professional level and active role in water resource management in the region.
Over 20 women professionals in the field of water resource management regularly participate in virtual and in person events, where they exchange experiences with international experts and mentors, contributing to expanding their knowledge, skills and opportunities for career advancement. This mentorship program played a key role in the establishment of the Network “Women in Water Resources Management in Central Asia and Afghanistan” (hereinafter referred to as the Network).
The Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) supports and facilitates the Network in the Central Asia region. The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) is also an international partner of the Network, providing a link to the Global Network of Women in Water Diplomacy.
The Network aims to create a community of women experts and practitioners whose activities are related to various aspects of transboundary water cooperation in Central Asia and Afghanistan. Among the main objectives of the Network are:
- Supporting the exchange of experiences and best practices within and outside the Network.
- Implementation of mentorship and joint learning.
- Identification of the needs of women water experts and provision of individual training.
- Collaboration with other women’s networks at the regional and international levels.
- Ensuring the representation of women from Central Asia and Afghanistan to participate in significant international events in the water sector.
The purpose of the in-person workshop for the Network of Women in Water Management, which was held in the foothills of Almaty, was to strengthen community and cooperation among Network members, meet new members, review the progress and plans of the Network for 2024, and exchange strategic news and ideas. In addition, during the workshop, the Network members discussed the Code of Conduct for Network operation and membership, learned about the experience of building communities of practice from the Global Water Partnership, and heard the experience of networking of women water diplomats from the Nile River Basin.
At the end of the workshop, the participants had an opportunity to practice their diplomatic skills as well as cross-sectoral management skills within the basin during the CASCAO Lego simulation game. The aim of the game was to learn management and negotiation practices and to apply the Nexus Water-Food-Energy approach.
Additional information:
Tais Reznikova, WIS Program Manager, treznikova@carececo.org
