Business and Professional Women (BPW) – Women for Water Partnership (WfWP)

COP21PARIS, 8 December 2015

Presentation of :

International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW), memberWomen for Water Partnership – working together

Founded in 1930; members in 99 countries Resolution world congress Melbourne 2002, Lucerne 2006 and

Mexico taskforce: (at least) one member in every region, Link with

members standing committee on environment and regional coordinators “women for water ambassadors” (founding) member of Women for water Partnership (2003) > via

WfWP partner of UN Water Member of World Water Council (2006) Member of the Butterfly Effect NGO Coalition (2011) > via BE

member OECD water governance initiative member women’s caucus / major group HL Political Forum on SD

International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW)

Women for Water PartnershipWomen for Water Partnership:• is a unique partnership of women’s

organizations and networks, uniting women leadership

• Will contribute to implementing the SDGs with a focus on universal access to water for all, for all uses.

All member organizations are rooted in society and are active in the areas of water, sanitation, sustainable development and women’s participation.

The International Federation on Business and Professional Women is founding member and part of the Women for Water Partnership

More and more have professional education in the field Are experts / professionals – but rarely in decision-

making positions Hold positions were they can influence water use Work as health care workers, facility management,

educators, etc. manage and own (small) businesses

International Federation of Business and Professional Women water is women’s business

Women for Water PartnershipPart of the WWAP Working Group on sex-disaggregated indicators

Members of the Working Group come from several different organizations, such as:

• Women for Water Partnership (WfWP)• Stockholm International Water Institute

(SIWI)• International Water Management Institute

(IWMI)• Women in Europe for a Common Future

(WECF)• UN Food and Agricultural Organization

(FAO)• UN Women• African Ministers’ Council on Water

(AMCOW)• Water Research Commission, South Africa• University of Regina, Canada• University of Turin, Italy• Penn State University, USA• University of Hamburg, Germany

Women for Water PartnershipPart of the WWAP Working Group on sex-disaggregated indicators

• WfWP was represented at the Workshops of the WWAP Working Group on sex-disaggregated indicators

• June 2014 – methodology and long list of indicators• December 2014 – high-priority list of indicators and guideline manual

• WfWP represented the WWAP Working Group on sex-disaggregated indicators at

• Gender, Water and Development Conference, East London, South Africa November 2014

And will represent the Working Group at

• 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, New York, USA March 2016 (co-organizing the event(s) together with IFBPW

Women for Water PartnershipGender & Water Data

Women for Water PartnershipGender & Water Data

Women for Water PartnershipGender & Water Data

We believe that:

Being freed from most of the burden of water fetching and acknowledged as water managers, will provide women with more opportunities for

• Business (take professional responsibility on all levels in economy, politics and society)

• Personal Development (enjoy lifelong learning)

• Income Generation

BPW sees that the ‘development of women’s professional and leadership potential at all levels’ will lead to equal participation of women and men in power and decision-making roles. BPW and WfWP therefore combine SDG5 and 6 in implementation.

International Federation of Business and Professional Women

Water stewardship / water management plans in businesses Raise awareness on water use and water as limited

resource Assist with monitoring (Citizens data) Lobby for legislation changes Lobby for hygiene and water “management” in

education Assist implementing SDGs 5 and 6 combined

International Federation of Business and Professional Women What can women do

Support the implementation of SDG 5 and 6 Take women’s adaptation strategies serious and involve

them Acknowledge women as leaders, experts, managers and

agents of change in water - Not just as water carriers in developing countries Include women at all levels in the decision-making process

by setting quota of at least 40% women in water governing bodies (ministers WWForum) Support and advocate for gender disaggregated indicators

and data #ClimateIsWater Water is women’s business

International Federation of Business and Professional Women Conclusions

THANK YOU

BPW – WFWP CONTACT DETAILS

Lesha Witmer, chair standing committee IFBPW on environment and water; steering committee Women for WaterLesha.Witmer@bpw-international.org