Global Youth Movement for Water
SWP Youth is part of the Global Youth Movement for Water, a coalition of organisations active in the water sector. The Movement gathers youth-led structures to pool resources to increase young peoples’ bargaining power. The intention is for youth to influence water management decision making and stimulate concrete actions towards their representation.
In 2012, at the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille, youth mobilization was organized for the first time in a more structured way. It was at this event that key global networks in the water and sanitation sector were initiated. Over the last decade, youth water actors have multiplied, at all levels, giving more and more volume to youth water engagement. However, youth advocacy, engagement groups and network associations in the water sector have too often been fragmented, diminishing the collective voice and influence of young people.
This is why, at the last World Water Forum in Senegal, young people from all over the world were given the opportunity to work together and with key actors, to move towards the necessary transformations that our societies and our planet need to ensure a sustainable and more equitable future. The main output of the 9th World Water Forum was the announcement of the idea of creating the Global Youth Movement for Water, a coalition of organisations active in the water & youth sector.