UN-Water: Strengthening the Global Water Architecture for the effective achievement of the 2030 Agenda

The implementation of the 2030 SDG 6 and its related targets will address the delivery of safe water supply and sanitation services, improve water quality, increase the efficiency of water use, implement integrated water resources management, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, expand international cooperation and capacity building and support local communities to improve management in related water and sanitation areas: all with a view towards achieving water security for all. This is a formidable challenge for which UN-Water is uniquely placed to play a prominent role. As the UN Inter-Agency mechanism on all freshwater-related issues including sanitation, UN-Water will be able to help secure a more effective global water framework working with its members and partners and building on its experience since 2003. UN-Water, working together with its members and partners, has been key in having all UN agencies speaking with one voice and advocating for a dedicated sustainable development goal for water. The formulation of this goal (SDG6) is very much in line with the Swiss position and with SDC’s Global Programme Water (GPW) commitment to a water-secure world. UN-Water also worked successfully with the UN statistical division in order to influence the definition of needed indicators for the goal. UN-Water also succeeded in raising awareness of 2.5 million people, through its communications and related activities. Several specific outputs were achieved including assessments of global policy issues, technical and policy documents on monitoring and, wastewater management, water security and drought management policies.

The coming years will be critical to put the world on track towards achieving water security and reaching the SDGs in 2030. During this period, UN-Water will have to strengthen the global water architecture to ensure the successful implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda. It will need to coordinate the UN system’s actions on all water-related issues, including sanitation. UN-Water will complement and add value to existing water and sanitation-related programmes and projects, facilitating synergies and joint efforts in order to maximise system-wide coordination and coherence, and reducing overlap and duplication.

The support for UN-Water’s work funded through its core coordination budget is closely aligned with the current GPW Strategic Framework (2013-2017): exerting influence at the global level to secure equitable and sustainable water management, access to water supply, sanitation and hygiene, access to water for family agriculture, addressing related gender and governance aspects, ensuring the human right to water, especially for the poor and vulnerable, while positioning SDC and Switzerland as an influential player in international dialogue. SDC’s core coordination budget support will help strengthen UN-Water as it seeks to ensure coherence of the UN system’s actions on all water-related issues, to monitor and report progress on the SDG 6 targets, to scale up communications, outreach and awareness-raising, and to continue to address emerging global issues.

The project in brief

Directorate/federal office responsible	SDC
Credit area	Development cooperation
Project partners	Contract partner United Nations Organization (UNO)
Budget	Current phase Swiss budget CHF    6’000’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    0

Further technical details

• Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION
  Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	Water sector policy and administrative management Water resources conservation (including data collection)
  Cross-cutting topics	The project promotes biodiversity. The project also supports partner organisation improvements
  Aid Type	Core contribution
  Project number	7F09514