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Process Framework Main Theme:
Action for a better tomorrow
Government, parliamentarians, Ministers, local authorities, and basin authorities collaborate to develop political agendas focused on discussing and resolving pressing water challenges.
At this global multi-stakeholders consultation and discussion, action plans will be developed to mobilize various organizations and experts to have concrete and practical solutions to imminent water challenges identified during the process associated with each theme and topic.
The regional process aims to find solutions that are context-specific to each region and sub-region in the world. The process offers the possibility to other regions to find potentially replicable solutions to similar problems.
“Until water is a political priority”
Policymakers and political leaders are key to water solutions and are also responsible for setting up policies and regulations. Political decisions create enabling conditions for advanced and sustainable water management. They are in charge of taking action at local level, whereas water resources and services everywhere are a public responsibility. The objective of the Political Processes is to facilitate a better understanding of water in the center of every sector and different dimensions of political decisions for humans and nature, including outside of water sector. In addition, the political process catalyzes interaction between all levels of decision-making actors on the importance of water issues.
As the leaders of a main government body, participating in the Forum involves sharing knowledge and experiences, advocating for national priorities, building networks and partnerships, influencing policy, and committing to concrete action. These outcomes can help to build capacity, foster collaboration, and promote effective water governance at the national and international levels.
The local authority segment advocates for water solutions, network and build partnerships, and make influence policies associated with the local water context. This segment can help to build the capacity to understand local issues and the condition of water and promote water governance at the local level.
The expected outcomes of the parliamentary process include sharing best practices and experiences in policy-making, advocating for national priorities, networking, and partn- ership building. These outcomes can help to build capacity, foster collaboration, and promote effective water governance in policy-making at the national and international levels.
The basin segment includes sharing best practices and experiences, advocating for basin-specific needs, networking and partnership building, influencing policy, and committing to action mainly based on the basin view. These outcomes can help to build capacity, nurture collaboration, and stimulate effective water governance at the basin level.
The thematic process aims to share best practices and experiences, foster dialogue and advocacy within specific thematic areas, develop cooperative approaches and partnerships for effective solutions, influence policy-making process, and generate commitments to action, delivering solutions tailored to local and global water challenges.
Water SecurityUnder mounting pressures from climate change, population growth, and industrialization, water availability is becoming increasingly unstable, posing both direct and indirect threats not only to stable water supply and demand management but also to food security. Furthermore, water-related disasters such as floods and droughts exacerbate economic, social, and ecological vulnerabilities, intensifying inequalities across regions and social groups, while competition over limited water resources can ignite conflicts and disputes. In areas where livelihoods are weakened, migration is on the rise, underscoring the critical need for secure water resources to support social cohesion and regional development. Consequently, using water resources more efficiently and actively adopting non-conventional water sources—such as desalination, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater recycling—and integrating blue, green, and circular economy principles into the water sector is essential for a more resilient and sustainable future.
Securing adequate and sustainable financing for water-related projects and services is vital to mitigate social and ecological footprints, ensure universal access to safe water and sanitation, and foster inclusive economic growth. A robust water finance ecosystem spans from loans designed for smaller stakeholders (e.g., micro-finance, decentralized financial institutions) to innovative mechanisms such as blended finance, climate and water funds, green and blue finance opportunities, and payments for ecosystem services. These diversified channels enable governments, utilities, private investors, and local communities to collaborate on essential infrastructure upgrades, ecosystem restoration, and equitable service delivery. By fostering transparent governance, risk-sharing models, and scalable solutions, water finance can accelerate transformative change in water-stressed areas while safeguarding natural resources and human well-being.
Water DiplomacyWater diplomacy serves as a pivotal framework for fostering peaceful and collaborative approaches to water resource management across all governance levels—international, national, regional, and local. Effective water governance requires well-designed water policies, regulatory frameworks, and institutional mechanisms that promote intersectoral coordination, multilevel water governance, and transboundary cooperation. As climate change continues to reshape hydrological cycles and exacerbate resource pressures, water- and climate-change-specific policies become increasingly essential for preventing conflicts, building peace, and strengthening regional cooperation. Empowering stakeholders and enabling close collaboration among governments, civil society, and private entities ensures that decisions are equitable, transparent, and context-sensitive. By integrating robust conflict-prevention measures, forging cross-border partnerships, and embedding peacebuilding principles in every stage of policy and project design, water diplomacy advances sustainable development and helps safeguard our shared water resources for future generations.
Ensuring water for both humans and nature requires balanced strategies that address water quality through pollution reduction and the restoration of degraded resources, while safeguarding vital ecosystems—both freshwater and coastal zones—to sustain biodiversity. Achieving better health outcomes and universal access to WASH services is closely tied to the resilience of these water , which in turn uphold the well-being of local communities. By leveraging the interconnectedness of Water, Energy, Food, Health, Ecosystems, Education—often referred to as the Five Fingers Alliance—stakeholders can harness cross-sector synergies and fortify integrated water resources management (IWRM) for both surface and groundwater. Nature-based solutions, such as wetland preservation and riparian restoration, further amplify this holistic approach, strengthening ecosystem services and ensuring sustainable water availability for present and future generations.
Value of WaterThe value of water extends beyond economic dimensions, serving as a core principle for examining how perceptions and expertise related to water are shaped across various sectors and for exploring water-centered, cross-sectoral concepts. Achieving this requires multi-sector collaboration among water, energy, food, industry, and environmental fields, where sharing each sector’s insights and expertise on water fosters collective responsibility and resilience. By broadening the participation of youth, women, and Indigenous communities, decision-making processes can incorporate more diverse perspectives, while corporate and industrial water stewardship drives sustainable practices. Additionally, education, training, and capacity-building initiatives enhance professional competencies and reaffirm the cultural significance of water, mobilizing society-wide efforts to safeguard this invaluable resource. Ultimately, informed by cross-sectoral insights into the value of water and strengthened by collaborative approaches, a sustainable water management framework can be established for both present and future generations.
Water sector innovation is accelerating through the implementation of water information systems, AI, machine learning, blockchain, and other digital solutions, enabling more precise decision-making, effective governance, and optimized resource use. In parallel, indigenous and community-based knowledge provides context-specific and culturally sensitive solutions that complement technology-driven approaches—particularly when integrated with ecosystem-based strategies—to enhance sustainability. Meanwhile, innovative water concepts such as net-zero approaches, zero liquid discharge in desalination facilities and water infrastructures, and unconventional water resources are gaining traction as forward-looking strategies aiming to boost efficiency and minimize pollution. The collective impact of these diverse methods and ideas strengthens global water security efforts and underscores the pivotal role of innovation in fostering a resilient and sustainable water management framework.
Dialogues and plans to implement solutions may only be responsive when those are rooted in local realities. The 11th World Water Forum will therefore attempt to reinforce regional processes which will articulate thematic and political issues from local perspectives and regional views. This will result in more customized political commitment for action and local level and practical solutions from thematic areas. The regional process also aims to share different regional experiences and knowledge in water management. To attain this a wide range of multi-stakeholders from particular regions and sub-regions will draw context-specific solutions that could be replicated more widely in their regions as well as in other regions facing similar challenges.
Identifying and addressing regional water challenges by developing local strategies. Finding more adapted solutions for local and regional water issues by exchanging knowledge and experience in local cases, perspectives, and best practices will enhance water security and sustainable water use. Raising awareness on the importance of local and regional water solutions and the need to manage it with political commitment are crucial elements of the regional process. Customized solutions paired with technology and innovation will help put forward more context-sensitive policies.