water governance

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the political, social, economic, and administrative systems and processes through which decisions about water resources are made and implemented, encompassing the laws, institutions, policies, and practices that determine who has access to water, who bears the costs and risks of water management decisions, and how conflicts over water allocation are resolved; effective water governance requires clear legal frameworks for water rights, accountable and adequately resourced institutions for basin management, meaningful participation of affected communities including women and marginalised groups, transparent data sharing, and mechanisms for transboundary coordination; governance failures, including corruption, elite capture of water rights, and exclusion of the poor from safe water access, are among the primary drivers of water insecurity in low- and middle-income countries