Presentation made by Milenka Sojachenski Pantoja at GWP SAm, GWP Regional Days Meeting, August 22-24, 2012, Stockholm, Sweden

1. “JOINT INITIATIVE ON WATER
LEGISLATION FOR IMPROVED WATER
GOVERNANCE IN LATIN AMERICA”
Milenka Sojachenski Pantoja
Regional Coordinator - GWP SAm

2. CONTENTS
1. The Programme in a nutshell
• key Partners
• objectives
• main components
• audience
• expected results
2. Lessons learned from the process  partnership building

3. The Programme in a nutshell
Key Partners
• Universidad Externado de Colombia
• LA-WETnet/CapNet
• Dundee University
• GWPO, GWP CAM and GWP SAM

4. The Programme in a nutshell
General Objective
Contribute to improved water governance in LA through strengthening
technical and institutional capacities of governmental entities, academia and
NGOs around water legislation issues in order to support national
governments in the development of legislative frameworks.

5. The Programme in a nutshell
Specific Objectives
1. Develop academic links UEC-Dundee University to support specialisation of
water legislation in the UEC + implementation of International Water Law
workshop (annual).
2. Breach the language barrier of the GWP-University of Dundee’s
International Water Law Scholarship Programme + adapt its content to
make it more accessible to LA in American trainees (1/29).
3. Improve technical and institutional capacities (government entities,
academy, non-government organizations, etc.) on water legislation as an
important element for good water governance.
4. Promote national, regional, inter-regional and global cooperation through
knowledge exchange.

6. The Programme in a nutshell
Main components
1. Training on international waters legislation at regional level (Colombia)
• UEC = main regional academic partner
• agreement between UEC and Dundee  adaptation of the GWP-Dundee Int. Water Law
Scholarship Programme to the LA context
2. Training on water legislation at national level (itinerant courses)
• LA-WETnet key to develop and implement courses
• Focus on water governance (legislation, human right to water, economic and financial
instruments, transparency and participation, etc).
• Agreement with Dundee  improve UEC s water law MSs curriculum
3. Development of materials i.e. revision and update of the manual “Streams of
Law a training manual and facilitators' guide on water legislation and legal
reform for integrated water resources” (CapNet-UEC-Dundee)  training tool
by similar initiatives undertaken in other RWP.

7. The Programme in a nutshell
Audience
• International Water Legislation  mid- to high-level practitioners and
professionals from governments (i.e. foreign affairs officials), NGOs,
international organisations, academia, private sector.
• National level training  professionals who have a role in the regulation,
control, planning or decision-making around water resources management.

8. The Programme in a nutshell
Key expected results
• 30 individuals improve their understanding on international waters legislation
and are in position to contribute and influence the debate around
transboundary water related issues in their countries.
• 100 individuals trained in 3 countries improve their understanding of the
importance of a sound legistative framework to support IWRM processes.
• A training tool that can be used to support similar training initiatives
throughout the network (ie. GWP-CapNet Manual on “Economics…... Broadly
used for water financing training)

9. Lessons learned from the process… so far
Partners do not grow on trees  need nourishment & invest time: UEC has
been a collaborative Partner since they joined, CapNet (family!), GWP
CAM/SAM have a history of cooperation
Do not reinvent the wheel  Need to build on progress:
• UEC: MSc on Water Law + reputation for excellence
• LA-WETnet: training modules in LA + network of ToT
• Dundee: GWP/Dundee scholarship experience + academic strength
• GWP: CAM/SAM networks and ongoing processes + TEC + Secretariat support
• existing materials that can be revised/repacked
Always think of possible benefits at different levels (global  national)
“One size does not fit all”  adapt to needs and particularities (Dundee 1/29…)

10. Thank you for your attention!