Transboundary Waters as Avenues for Peace and Cooperation
Over generations, rivers have acted as natural connectors, forging deep cultural and social bonds between communities along their banks and within basins. This has created enduring relationships that transcend boundaries. A new report by Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, highlights the ease with which riverbank communities engage in dialogue and understanding, transcending borders and fostering a profound sense of shared identity. Such initiatives offer avenues for peace with or without governments' intervention.
This webinar, co-organized by Minority Rights Group, International Rivers and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and co-sponsored by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, will present cases of minorities and indigenous peoples grappling with the degradation of their aquatic ecosystems and their work in safeguarding communities’ fundamental human right to water. It will also underscore why it is important to include communities in decision-making processes and in the management of water resources. Furthermore, it will shed light on how these efforts bear significant implications for fostering peace and harmony within and among communities.
This event is being held to coincide with the Special Rapporteur’s presentation before the UN General Assembly. It is the first in a new webinar series Water and Human Rights, co-hosted by Minority Rights Group and International Rivers.
Panellists
Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
Dr Issaharou Matchi Issaka, University of Diffa, Niger
Angela Amanakwa Kaxuyana, Indigenous representative from the Brazilian Amazon
Monti Aguirre, Latin America Program Director, International Rivers
Pablo Barboza, representative of the Yshir people, Paraguay
The event will be moderated by Anna Alboth, Europe Media Officer at Minority Rights Group. Presentations by the panellists will be followed by a Q&A session.