About Global Water Partnership

The Global Water Partnership is an international network with a vision for a water secure world. Its mission is to support the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels. Founded in 1996 by the World Bank, UNDP and SIDA to foster integrated water resource management (IWRM), and to ensure the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources by maximising economic and social welfare without compromising the sustainability of vital environmental systems. The GWP network currently comprises 13 Regional Water Partnerships and 80 Country Water Partnership, and includes more than 3000 partners in 172 countries. An essential element of GWP is the establishment and operation through regional and country level multi- stakeholder groups constituted as Country Water Partnerships (CWPs). These National Level Water Partnerships aim to mobilize and facilitate actions to achieve sustainable water resources management through an integrated approach.

GWP - South Asia

The goal of the Global Water Partnership South Asia (GWP SAS) is to work towards meeting water challenges through partnerships and promote Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in South Asia.

The Global Water Partnership South Asia (GWP SAS) is a fully independent constituent of the Global Water Partnership (GWP) family and network umbrella. GWP SAS currently represents Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka linked to the network through the respective Country Water Partnerships (CWPs) which are themselves independent and autonomous organizations brought together with the common objective of promoting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the region.

Regional Water Partnership

Since its inception, the GWP has built up a network of Regional Water Partnerships. Regional Water Partnerships have a special function to ensure sharing across national boundaries, and are expected to have an open, inclusive and gender sensitive membership policy for bringing together as wide a group of stakeholders as possible.

Regional Water Partnerships provide support to the implementation of activities at regional and country level as set out in work plans and budgets, and prepare progress reports for the entire Network. Bangladesh became the first Regional Chair of GWP-South Asia for two years from 2003-2004 under the leadership of Mr. Quamrul Islam Siddique, former Chief Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The South Asia Regional Secretariat of GWP permanently moved to Institute of Water Management Institute (IWMI), Sri Lanka. The regional Chairmanship rotates among the 6 CWPs (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka) after every three years. Presently JVS/Nepal Water Partnership Chairs the GWP-SAS

Country Water Partnership

GWP supports the Country Water Partnership (CWPs) through the Regional Water Partnership (RWP) or Regional Technical Advisory Committee (RTAC) and Area Water Partnership (AWPs) are supported by the CWPs on certain guidelines.

CWPs provide a neutral and multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue and facilitating change processes. Regional and Country Water Partnerships manage and govern themselves, and convene stakeholders to address specific issues. They bring about solutions that are both tailored to local conditions and informed by local experiences and good practices from across the network.

Background of Bangladesh Water Partnership (BWP)

Bangladesh Water Partnership was established on 30 September, 1998 through an experts group meeting under the initiative of Mr. Quamrul Islam Siddique, Former Chief Engineer, LGED. Since its establishment, LGED is supporting BWP as Host Institution and it also hosted the Regional Secretariat from 2003-2004 for two years.