The Dialogue process is designed to facilitate the participation of all relevant actors from different sectors across the region. Preliminary activities, including advocacy and networking, capacity-building, online dialogues and pre-dialogue consultations, began in November 2025. 

The Regional Dialogue on Water Tenure for Asia and the Pacific draws on water tenure assessments across the region through the ScaleWat and KnoWat projects, as well as the Asia-Pacific Water Scarcity Programme (WSP). These efforts have covered Sri Lanka (KnoWat), Cambodia (WSP), Viet Nam (WSP), Indonesia (WSP) and Thailand (WSP and ScaleWat), as well as quick water tenure assessments for Lao PDR, Malaysia and the Philippines through the ScaleWat project.

These assessments have demonstrated the diversity of legal, customary and informal tenure arrangements, while revealing persistent implementation gaps, fragmented governance, and cumulative discrimination against smallholder farmers, women, pastoralists and fisherfolk. They have also generated concrete recommendations for governments and water users towards more equitable and sustainable water governance.

Participants to the Regional Dialogue will review the draft Elements in light of regional priorities, challenges and opportunities, and foster multi-actor collaboration towards equitable, inclusive and climate-resilient water governance. Regional contributions will be consolidated to support the inclusion of water tenure in the agenda of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) .

💧Engage in regional activities