that in most parts of the world women play a
crucial role in providing and managing water in
the communities in which they live. Globally,
women are also the ones who are mostly
involved in agriculture and therefore the role that
they play in managing the water resources
required in the agriculture sector is important for
enhancing food security and poverty reduction.
The fourth principle presents water as both an
economic and social good, the pricing of which
must mirror its true worth. In southern Africa,
these principles have resonated with recent government policies and programs, most of which
have set the foundation for IWRM as a working
strategy.
It is therefore not surprising that in southern
Africa, a number of regional water resource
development and management initiatives have
been associated with IWRM, including those
resulting from inter-state cooperation and civic
partnerships. One example of inter-state initiative
was the formation of the Southern Africa
Development Committee (SADC) Water Sector
Coordination Unit in 1997, which eventually led
to the signing of the SADC Protocol on Shared
Watercourses among member states. In this initiative, SADC member states agreed to collaborate and create a platform for negotiating how the
region’s limited water resources can be utilized
(Gallego-Ayala and Juízo 2011). Van der Zaag
(2005) notes that this development took place at
the same time that the United Nations General
Assembly adopted the Convention on the Law of
the Non-Navigational Uses of International
Watercourses in New York in 1997. Shortly
afterwards, in 1998 international cooperation
between SADC and European Union states led to
a planning workshop held by water ministers
from the two regions and subsequently the
founding of the Water Research Fund for
Southern Africa (WARFSA) and WaterNet in
1999 and 2000, respectively (Van der Zaag
2005). WARFSA has been instrumental in promoting advanced training and research in IWRM
in the region.
These inter-regional efforts complemented
global developments that were sponsored by the
United Nations, through its official organ, UNWater. UN-Water was mandated to make a
follow-up on water decisions that had been
adopted at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the subsequent Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (Saravanan
et al. 2009), one of which sought to provide safe
drinking water and sanitation to the majority of
the global citizenry by 2015. IWRM was seen as
a critical aspect of solving global water problems. Consequently, the United Nations Development Programme placed emphasis on IWRM
through effective water resource governance
(Saravanan et al. 2009).
A parallel initiative has been driven by the
Southern African Chapter of the GPW. Regional
networks such as the GWP Regional Technical
Advisory Committee and bilateral donors were
active in the uptake and dissemination of ideas
about water governance within the context of
IWRM. Some donors have been instrumental in
promoting IWRM within the region. For example, the German Technical Cooperation
(GTZ) established an international IWRM Network that acted as an ‘incentive for government
and institutions to optimize water resources
management’. Piloting began in southern Africa
because of a perceived ‘broad acceptance’ of the
IWRM approach by regional actors. At that time
a key aspect of IWRM which was highlighted in
the Framework for Action (FFA) by the GWP
(2000a) is the devolution of water resource
management to water users and user groups.
The FFA advocated the coordinated development
and management of water, land and related
resources, in order to maximize the resultant
economic and social welfare in an equitable
manner without compromising the sustainability
of vital ecosystems (GWP 2000a). This approach
sought to accelerate the devolution of responsibilities to water users and build transparent and
accountable mechanisms for resource allocations
(GWP 2000b). Many southern African countries,
including South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe have bought into this approach and
adopted new policy structures and national plans
in their water sectors in line with the approach.
The Water Resources Management Strategy
(WRMS) for Zimbabwe, for instance, was
26
G. Mukwada et al.
crucial role in providing and managing water in
the communities in which they live. Globally,
women are also the ones who are mostly
involved in agriculture and therefore the role that
they play in managing the water resources
required in the agriculture sector is important for
enhancing food security and poverty reduction.
The fourth principle presents water as both an
economic and social good, the pricing of which
must mirror its true worth. In southern Africa,
these principles have resonated with recent government policies and programs, most of which
have set the foundation for IWRM as a working
strategy.
It is therefore not surprising that in southern
Africa, a number of regional water resource
development and management initiatives have
been associated with IWRM, including those
resulting from inter-state cooperation and civic
partnerships. One example of inter-state initiative
was the formation of the Southern Africa
Development Committee (SADC) Water Sector
Coordination Unit in 1997, which eventually led
to the signing of the SADC Protocol on Shared
Watercourses among member states. In this initiative, SADC member states agreed to collaborate and create a platform for negotiating how the
region’s limited water resources can be utilized
(Gallego-Ayala and Juízo 2011). Van der Zaag
(2005) notes that this development took place at
the same time that the United Nations General
Assembly adopted the Convention on the Law of
the Non-Navigational Uses of International
Watercourses in New York in 1997. Shortly
afterwards, in 1998 international cooperation
between SADC and European Union states led to
a planning workshop held by water ministers
from the two regions and subsequently the
founding of the Water Research Fund for
Southern Africa (WARFSA) and WaterNet in
1999 and 2000, respectively (Van der Zaag
2005). WARFSA has been instrumental in promoting advanced training and research in IWRM
in the region.
These inter-regional efforts complemented
global developments that were sponsored by the
United Nations, through its official organ, UNWater. UN-Water was mandated to make a
follow-up on water decisions that had been
adopted at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the subsequent Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (Saravanan
et al. 2009), one of which sought to provide safe
drinking water and sanitation to the majority of
the global citizenry by 2015. IWRM was seen as
a critical aspect of solving global water problems. Consequently, the United Nations Development Programme placed emphasis on IWRM
through effective water resource governance
(Saravanan et al. 2009).
A parallel initiative has been driven by the
Southern African Chapter of the GPW. Regional
networks such as the GWP Regional Technical
Advisory Committee and bilateral donors were
active in the uptake and dissemination of ideas
about water governance within the context of
IWRM. Some donors have been instrumental in
promoting IWRM within the region. For example, the German Technical Cooperation
(GTZ) established an international IWRM Network that acted as an ‘incentive for government
and institutions to optimize water resources
management’. Piloting began in southern Africa
because of a perceived ‘broad acceptance’ of the
IWRM approach by regional actors. At that time
a key aspect of IWRM which was highlighted in
the Framework for Action (FFA) by the GWP
(2000a) is the devolution of water resource
management to water users and user groups.
The FFA advocated the coordinated development
and management of water, land and related
resources, in order to maximize the resultant
economic and social welfare in an equitable
manner without compromising the sustainability
of vital ecosystems (GWP 2000a). This approach
sought to accelerate the devolution of responsibilities to water users and build transparent and
accountable mechanisms for resource allocations
(GWP 2000b). Many southern African countries,
including South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe have bought into this approach and
adopted new policy structures and national plans
in their water sectors in line with the approach.
The Water Resources Management Strategy
(WRMS) for Zimbabwe, for instance, was
26
G. Mukwada et al.