Water tenure is a recent concept. A working definition of water tenure is “The relationships, whether legally or customarily defined, between people, as individuals or groups, with respect to water resources”. The concept of water tenure embraces and interconnects various SDG goals, and hence is useful for achieving the Agenda 2030, in particular through the inclusion of the most vulnerable through enhancing equitable access to water, increasing water security and improving climate resilience.

FAO has been continuously working to define the concept in line with the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure, unpack its core elements and explore its practical implications. The project "Knowing water better: towards fairer and more sustainable access to natural resources - KnoWat" has proposed a water tenure assessment methodology to map the diversity of coexisting water tenure arrangements and is testing the methodology in Rwanda, Sri Lanka and Senegal. In the North African region, the project “Water efficiency, productivity and sustainability in the NENA regions” is also working to strengthen water governance approach.

The Water Tenure Mondays webinar series creates a forum for building a stronger water tenure concept and pursue FAO’s efforts in broadening the knowledge base of its application to achieve a more equitable and secure access to water, even in conditions of scarcity. It aims to refine our understanding of the water tenure concept and contextualize its various elements with a series of case studies, review ongoing initiatives and methodologies applied.

The series is targeted to policy makers, water professionals, and researchers from all over the world. The webinars are held in English with simultaneous translation to French. They focus on the following topics:

10 May 2021, 13:00 CEST

"What is water tenure and how can we assess it?"

Stephen Hodgson, International Environmental Lawyer, Brussels, Belgium

Register here

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17 May 2021, 13:00 CEST

"An introduction to water governance and its assessment"

Dubravka Bojic, Programme Officer, Governance Unit, FAO Rome, Italy

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24 May 2021, 13:00 CEST

"Whose Water? A comparative analysis of national laws and regulations recognizing indigenous peoples’, Afro-descendants’, and local communities’ water tenure"

Jessica Troell, Director, International Water Program, Environmental Law Institute, Harare, Zimbabwe

Register here

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31 May 2021, 13:00 CEST

"Water tenure analysis in Palestine and Lebanon, with a focus on biodiversity"

Julie Trottier, Research Director, CRNS, Montpellier, France

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To keep you updated on the Water Tenure Mondays, visit the dedicated webpage.