Presentation prepared by Lesha Witmer, IFBPW WfWP Presentation WWAP COP21, Paris

1. BusinessandProfessionalWomen(BPW)–
WomenforWaterPartnership(WfWP)
COP21
PARIS, 8 December 2015
Presentation of :

2. International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW), member
Women 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

3. International Federation of Business and Professional Women
(IFBPW)
Women for Water Partnership
Women 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

4. 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

5. Women for Water Partnership
Part 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

6. Women for Water Partnership
Part 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

7. Women for Water Partnership
Gender & Water Data

8. Women for Water Partnership
Gender & Water Data

9. Women for Water Partnership
Gender & Water Data

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. THANK YOU
BPW – WFWP CONTACT DETAILS
Lesha Witmer, chair standing committee IFBPW on
environment and water; steering committee Women for
Water
Lesha.Witmer@bpw-international.org