The 4th Global WOPs Congress: Call for Expressions of Interest Now Open
The need for strong water and sanitation operators is more critical now than ever before. As we deal with growing inequalities, depletion of resources, a fast-changing climate, and an enduring pandemic, we increasingly need to find solutions by working together.
This October, UN-Habitat’s Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance will convene the 4th Global WOPs Congress to discuss common challenges in the provision of water and sanitation, and to share solutions. The goal of the Global WOPs Congress is to accelerate the scaling-up of effective peer-to-peer partnership between water operators worldwide. In meeting this goal, the Congress will work through a three-tiered approach
Learn
Increase collective knowledge on peer-to-peer partnerships and the work of water operators.
Share
Strengthen partnerships and exchange of experiences between water operators.
Inspire
Expand support for water operators and the peer-to-peer learning amongst relevant stakeholders and the general public.
Who will be there?
Around half of all congress participants are staff from public water and sanitation operators. The other half are representatives from international and development agencies, donors, civil society and other water and sanitation stakeholders and decision makers.
Congress Events
The WOPs Congress will address a range of issues relating to the work of water and sanitation operators and the WOPs practice.
Thematic Sessions
Thematic Sessions will take stock of current water and sanitation operators’ issues, showcase good approaches, and offer recommendations for how operators can tackle challenges through peer-to-peer partnerships.
Ensuring access for all
Extending services, pro-poor initiatives, social inclusion, gender mainstreaming, informal and community operators, decentralized systems
Advancing sanitation
Wastewater collection and treatment, protecting water quality, fecal sludge management, reuse
Climate adaptation
Climate change adaptation, ecosystem services, water conservation, source protection, water safety planning, emergency response planning
Circular development
Regenerative urban waters, nexus approaches, carbon neutrality, water-sensitive urban design, energy efficiency
Managing crises
Lessons from the COVID-19 response, preparedness for disasters, remote WOPs
WOPs Sessions
WOPs Sessions will highlight the latest trends, challenges, and possible ways to increase and improve the WOPs practice.
Governance
Enabling frameworks for WOPs
Finance
WOP funding and financial linkages
Knowledge
Connecting capacity and informing better WOPs
Monitoring
Tracking results and progress of WOPs
How do I get involved?
The GWOPA Secretariat is inviting proposals for the following types of contributions towards the Thematic and WOPs sessions:Co-convene a Session under one or more of the Thematic or WOPs themes above. Thematic presentations or case studies about partnerships experiences in the field relevant to the congress themes.
Learn more about the congress here and submit your proposal.