The Forums will be held on 6 June 2022 within the Framework of the Dushanbe Water Decade Conference and will provide focused engagement of different regions, women, youth and other major groups, in the manner consistent with objectives of the Conference. The objective of the Forums is to create an additional platform for broader discussion of water-related issues among specific types of stakeholders or in certain regions.
The Forums make it possible to involve different types of stakeholders, including women, youth, indigenous people, professional groups, scholars, private sector and others in the implementation of the water agenda with a focus on catalyzing water action and partnership at the local, national, regional and global level. Factual and relevant deliberations, findings and solutions may effectively contribute to the theme of the Conference and address the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework.
The Forums will provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on the outcomes of the First Dushanbe Water Action Decade Conference in their narrow context. The outcomes of the Forums will be presented at the Plenary session.
1) Regional Water Cooperation Forum in Central Asia
Multiple development partners have been supporting efforts to improve regional water and a loose coalition of partners. The “Regional Water Cooperation Forum” will provide an opportunity to showcase further ongoing efforts on regional water cooperation and coordination and engage directly with representatives of country governments. It also will serve as a platform for the discussion of the main themes of the Conference structured along with the domains of water for health, water for economy and livelihoods, and water for the environment and climate resilience.
- Organizers: World Bank, International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS)
- Venue: Dushanbe Hayat Regency, Ismoili Somoni 26/1 Avenue
- Time: 11.00 – 18.00
- Contact persons: Ms. Parvina Mahmadziyoeva, World Bank Tajikistan (pmahmadziyoeva@worldbank.org); Ms. Rukhshona Dzamurova, EC IFAS (dzhamurovar@gmail.com)
2) Women Water Forum: equity diversity and inclusion – water unites us
The 2018 Women Water Forum ‘Bridging Voices to Action’ marked the starting point of a transformative action-oriented SDG5 – SDG6 process. In the course of the Water for Sustainable Development Decade, the ‘Bridging Voices to Action’ movement will see the progressive development of conditions for collective action. The consecutive 2022 Forum will provide critical moments of reflection: strengthening existing and forging new partnerships, exchanging and discussing success and failure factors, and addressing gaps and emerging issues. The Forum will build on the outcome of the 7th International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWDIS 2022).
- Venue:Khokhi Vahdat
- Time: 10:00-18:00
- Organizers: UN Women and Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT)
- Contact person: Ms. Aziza Hamidova, UN Women Tajikistan (aziza.hamidova@unwomen.org)
3) Youth and Children’s Water Forum
The “Youth and Children’s Water Forum” aims to justify a crucial role of cross-sectoral approach and evidence-based decision-making, where the role of the young generation could be invaluable at the intersection of scientific innovations. The objective of the Forum is to mobilize children and young people from Tajikistan and across the world, giving them a platform for vocalizing the impact of access to safe WASH on their lives and their futures. It is expected that the Central Asian delegation of youth will develop a youth statement and key messages to be delivered to decision-makers with recommendations/action plans towards tackling the challenges of involving youth in bringing positive change to the water sector.
- Organizers: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
- Venue: Kokhi Navruz (Didor Hall)
- Time: 09.00 – 17.00 ;
- Contact person: Mr. Ammar Orakzai, UNICEF Tajikistan (aorakzai@unicef.org)
17.00 – 19.00 Virtual Reality Exhibition – Walking the water experience in Tajikistan
Contact person: Mr. Ammar Orakzai, UNICEF Tajikistan (aorakzai@unicef.org)
4) Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Forum: inclusive approaches to water in ecosystems, land, agriculture, and knowledge development
Indigenous Peoples and many local communities have important and long-standing connections with their local water bodies. As the impact of climate change deepens, it is increasingly critical to reach these communities, especially as their understanding of water and the environment can offer a more contextualized perspective. The “Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Forum” aims to serve as a platform for the indigenous people to mainstream water and land management more effective in protecting vital ecosystems and their importance for water security and climate change mitigation and adaptation whilst recognizing their aspirations and helping build a platform for better understanding of their relationships to their local waters and the associated obligations thereof.
- Organizers: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Venue: National Library of Tajikistan, room #303
- Time: 14.00 – 18.00
- Contact persons: Ms. Marianne Kjellén, Senior Water Advisor, UNDP (marianne.kjellen@undp.org);
Mr. Nigel Crawhall – Chief of Section, Local and Indigenous Knowledge, UNESCO (n.crawhall@unesco.org)
5) Water and Mountains Towards Sustainable Development
Mountains provide vital resources to a significant proportion of the global population and are often called nature’s water towers of the world. “The Water and Mountains Towards Sustainable Development Forum” supports the decade’s process through various formats of the stakeholder presentations and discussions, highlighting frontiers, opportunities, and gaps in research, education, and cooperation in the mountains, cryosphere, and water sector The event will be built on the ongoing partnership efforts towards the common goal for better achievement of SDG 6 and will be focused largely on the follow-up of the recommendations made during the pre-forum on Water and Climate Dialogue.
- Organizers: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA)
- Venue: Dushanbe Serena Hotel, Rudaki Avenue 14.
- Time: 9.00-14.00
- Contact person: Ms. Kristine Tovmasyan – Programme Specialist UNESCO cluster office in Almaty (k.tovmasyan@unesco.org), Mr. Anil Mishra – Chief of Section UNESCO Water Division/IHP Programme (a.mishra@unesco.org), Mr. Parviz Najmidinov – UNRRCA Representative in Tajikistan (parviz.najmidinov@un.org)