1. Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C):
An Introduction To Our Work
Presented by Avril Alexander – Regional Coordinator

2. Our Mission
The mission of GWP-C is to support Caribbean countries in the sustainable
management of their water resources and to fully promote and apply an
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach at the
community, national and regional level.

3. Who is GWP-C?
Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) is a working partnership among
all stakeholders in water management in the Caribbean and was launched in
Tobago in June 2004.
GWP-C is the Caribbean arm of the Global Water Partnership (GWP)
Organisation. This makes it 1 of 13 Regional Water Partnerships of GWP, which
is a global network of partners who believe that an integrated approach to
managing water is the best way forward in working toward a water secure world.

4. What is IWRM?
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is:
A process of managing water, land and related resources in a way that
meets society’s long-term need for water while ensuring that economic
and social welfare is not compromised and that there is no harm to the
environment.
IWRM is about:
 Managing water resources at the lowest possible level.
 Managing demand for water and optimising the supply.
 Providing equitable access to water resources by a participatory approach.
 Establishing policies to help manage water resources.
 Engaging all sectors of the economy in the IWRM process.

5. GWP-C is guided by an IWRM philosophy.
Its core objectives are:
 To promote IWRM as the approach to water resources management in the
Caribbean and to gain national commitment towards IWRM implementation.
 To establish partnerships in water resources management that endorse an
integrated approach to water resources management.
 To improve water governance in the Caribbean through the promotion of
IWRM and to implement IWRM policies and programmes.
Key Objectives of GWP-C

6. The Global Network’s 4 Strategic Objectives
To achieve its mission, GWP-C operates within the framework of the
global network’s four (4) Strategic Goals:
Goal 1: Promote Water as a key part of sustainable national development.
Goal 2: Address critical development challenges.
Goal 3: Reinforce knowledge sharing and communications.
Goal 4: Build a more effective network.

7. Our Partners
GWP-C currently has over 70 partners spanning 20 Caribbean territories which
encompass the English, Spanish, French and Dutch Caribbean and 2 partners
in North America.
These countries include:
Anguilla, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto
Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,
The United States of America and Canada.
GWP-C’s partners include some of the following types of organisations:
Public Water Management; Government Agency; Water User Association;
Private Water Management; Non-Governmental Organisation; Consultancy Organisation;
Youth Environmental Organisations; Research / Education / Training Organisations;
Professional Association among others.

8. Governance Structure
General Assembly
Meeting of Partners at the Annual General Meeting, decisions on
workplan and other business, voting on resolutions, election of
partners to Steering Committee.
Steering Committee
Chairman, Deputy Chairman, seven other partners and the Network
Officer from GWPO in Sweden.
Secretariat
Regional Coordinator, Communications Officer, Administration Officer,
housed by Host Institution (NIHERST).

9. Our Work, Our Niche
Four (4) key areas highlight the focus of GWP-C’s work:
 Advocacy - GWP-C advocates the implementation of IWRM as the best way
to achieving water security.
 Convening Power - GWP-C has partners from various sectors and provides
platforms at various levels to facilitate the development of IWRM policies and
laws.
 Technical Expertise and Knowledge Sharing - As a regional arm of the
GWP Organisation, GWP-C has the support of a global network and can
provide technical expertise on IWRM and has access to various tools for
knowledge sharing on IWRM.
 Capacity Building - GWP-C is committed to awareness building on IWRM
at the community, national and regional levels targeting all demographics.

10. Specific Activities
 Awareness building on water conservation and IWRM in the Caribbean
Capacity building and training in the following areas:
- Climate change and its effects on water resources
- Climate change and disaster management
- Water and sanitation
- Rainwater Harvesting
- Economic and financial instruments for IWRM (Water Financing)
- Water use efficiency in the Agriculture and Tourism sectors
- Impacts and policy implications for water resources management
Information dissemination and collation

11. Annual High Level Session (HLS) for Caribbean Ministers of Water, held since
2005, to discuss critical areas in water resources management and the approach to
creating and implementing IWRM policies in the region.

12. Water Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP)
Overall Objective:
To support adaptation of Caribbean states to climate
variability and change through the implementation of
better water policies, strategies, programmes and
water related adaptation actions defined in the
CARICOM Regional Implementation Plan for
Achieving Development Resilient to Climate
Change.

13. GWP-C Rain Water Harvesting Demonstration Model

14. GWP Information Support
 GWP Toolbox - A knowledge sharing tool created by the global organisation
which can best be described as on “Online IWRM Library.”
The tool box is:
 Free
Comprises of IWRM case studies from across the globe
Reference that can be used by water experts, decision makers and
anyone interested in learning about the management of water resources

15. GWP Information Support
IWRM Publications and Promotional Material
GWP-C is committed to knowledge sharing on water resources management
and other environmental topics such as climate change.
Here are some of the GWP-C resources available to you:
 GWP-C brochures and leaflets
 GWP-C water videos
 IWRM leaflets
 IWRM books
 CDs with information on “How to Manage the World’s Water Resources”
 Other publications on IWRM, climate change, water and sanitation, among
other areas.

16. IWRM Publications and Promotional Material
GWP-C Water Videos - GWP-C currently has 3 video productions on water
scarcity and the flood risk management in the Caribbean. These videos are
available by request to the GWP-C Secretariat.
The videos include:
Flood Risk Management and the Caribbean
Water Scarcity and Population in the Caribbean
Water: Is there enough for tomorrow?

17. For more information on GWP-C, please visit our website at:
www.gwp-caribbean.org
Thank You!