Dear Members and Partners of Human Right 2 Water,
As 2026 unfolds, momentum is building across the global water community - and HR2W is proud to be at the centre of conversations shaping the future of water governance, human rights, gender equality, and climate resilience.
This month, we reflect on high-level engagement in preparation for the 2026 UN Water Conference, strengthened leadership within the Water4All Partnership, and new research advancing the human right to water, sanitation, and a healthy environment. From cultural heritage and climate resilience to menstrual hygiene legislation and inclusive governance, our work continues to demonstrate that water is never just a technical issue - it is a matter of dignity, equity, and justice.
In this edition, you will find highlights from recent international events, new publications, and opportunities to engage with our growing global network.
Thank you for being part of our community and for helping to ensure that, together, we truly leave no one behind.
Human Right to a Healthy Environment
We’re pleased to share that we have completed an expert peer review of 17 country reports into the human right to a healthy environment (HRHE) and the human right to water and sanitation (HRWS), together with a short summary of the findings from each national study. These national reports collate legal and policy references according to a framework based on the HRWS and provide both a gap analysis and a reference set of legal data for anyone working in WASH or policy in the relevant countries. This body of work provides a body of evidence to strengthen governance frameworks and the link to human dignity, public health, and sustainable development.
You can access the Reports by going into the country profiles through the project page. The following countries are included:
- In Africa: Chad, Kenya, Niger, Senegal, Uganda, South Africa
- In America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, México
- In Asia: India, Nepal, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia
- In Europe: Turkey
Water4All Partnership: Vice-Chair Appointment
We are thrilled that CEO Amanda Loeffen has been elected as Vice-Chair of the Water4All Governing Board, along with the recommendation that Human Right 2 Water becomes a full Partner. The Water4All Partnership plays a critical role in shaping Europe’s water research and innovation (R&I) agenda. The active involvement of HR2W on the governing board, both as a partner and as Vice-Chair, will support the inclusion of human rights and inclusivity in the Partnership. This appointment will be key to strengthening the link between research, policy, and real-world impact with a strong focus on human rights, gender equality, and leaving no one behind.
Activities with Water4All this year have included a joint participation in the Dakar UN-Water Preparatory Meeting, meetings with the Advisory Board Chairs, and Pillar Leaders, chairing the first Executive Board Meeting of the year, plus this week’s involvement in the updating of the SRIA (Strategic R&I Agenda).
High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Dakar
January also heralded the High-Level Preparatory Meeting in Dakar to support preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference 2-4th December 2026, in Abu Dhabi). Held on the 26–27th January, it was co-organised by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with the United Nations and partners. The meeting brought together stakeholders from different sectors to discuss how to continue to promote water access and availability for the people, especially for those who are most vulnerable. One of the six themes, on Water and People, highlighted that there is a need for political will, inclusive governance, especially of marginalised people, and how it is urgent to improve water infrastructure for communities around the globe. With these considerations, there was an emphasis on taking a Leave No One Behind approach to future meetings in order to really cater for the people who are not always present in decision-making spaces.
Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage is inextricably linked with the availability and accessibility of water. Sacred rivers, ancestral springs, traditional irrigation practices, and communal water rituals constitute the intangible and tangible heritage of many peoples worldwide. We have different reports on our website that explore this topic:
Human Right to Water and Cultural Heritage: Safeguarding Indigenous Knowledge and Community Resilience in Water Supply Projects by Anand Chiplunkar
Water and Faith by HR2W Legal Expert Grace Anarfi-Wadieh
How Protecting the Human Right to Water also Protects Cultural Heritage by Amanda Loeffen
Human Right to Water and Cultural Heritage
We have a new publication on our website written by our partner and Governing Board member Dr. Anand Chiplunkar. This report titled demonstrates that the human right to water cannot be realized without protecting cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. This report shows how water is never only a technical commodity. For communities across the globe, it is deeply intertwined with identity, culture, spirituality, and survival. Centuries-old systems of managing water—such as Sri Lanka’s tank cascades, Peru’s amunas, or Bali’s subaks—demonstrate that heritage and traditional knowledge are not relics of the past but living foundations of resilience. Yet, modern water supply projects have often overlooked these systems, treating them as obstacles to progress rather than assets to be integrated. The result has been costly failures, abandoned infrastructures, and community distrust.
Learn more about the success stories Dr. Chiplunkar explores in his paper:
Do you have any publications? We’d love to highlight them on Our Partner’s Research on our website. Please reach out to us and we will share it widely in our networks.
National Water Conference – Malta, Italy
This year, the Energy and Water Agency in Malta hosted its third National Water Conference on the 22nd of January 2026 in Malta, Italy. HR2W joined as an active participant through its work with SD-WISHEES, a HORIZON CSA project, that researches the barriers to R&I in the nexus between water/climate extreme events/ and protection of cultural heritage (the WCCH Nexus). The theme for this event was “Water Heritage in Malta”, with a focus on both the physical structures that have shaped the water history of the Maltese Islands and the traditions, legends and language that reflect the influence of water over the centuries. The event highlighted how in order to protect cultural heritage against extreme hydroclimatic events we need to be engaging local communities through a human rights-based approach. The conference brought together people from various fields, including policymakers, researchers, professionals, stakeholders and students providing an opportunity to exchange knowledge, participate in discussions and reflect on the role of heritage in shaping future water policy.
World Water Day 2026
UN Water have also launched their World Water Day Campaign. The 2026 WWD campaign is called ‘Where water flows, equality grows’ and it focuses on safe water and sanitation as human rights and critical enablers of gender equality. The global water crisis affects everyone – but not equally. Where people lack the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, inequalities flourish, with women and girls bearing the brunt. It’s time to centre women and girls in water solutions. We encourage you to join our efforts to push this campaign by sharing the campaign materials with your network.
Are you planning anything on gender for World Water Day or other events this year? Please share any events or plans that you have for this year and we would love to work with you to make a greater success.
UPCOMING: Menstrual Hygiene Management in Latin America and Spain Webinar
We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming webinar, “Menstrual Hygiene Management in Latin America and Spain,” organised in celebration of World Water Day 2026. This session will explore the intersection of water, sanitation, and gender equality, highlighting current challenges and policy opportunities in the region. You will hear from menstrual hygiene experts who will share practical experiences and best practices from their work in the MHM sector.
Please note that speakers will present in either Spanish or English, depending on the session. Live interpretation will not be provided, but we recommend using your choice of online app.
We look forward to your participation in this important discussion.
This is all for now, we will continue to send out Newsletters monthly throughout 2026!
Best regards,
Isabella Cubillo
Communications Officer