The UNWC Online User’s Guide
The UN Watercourses Convention (UNWC) is a global treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1997. It is a framework convention governing international watercourses. The UNWC constitutes a global legal mechanism for facilitating the equitable and sustainable management transboundary rivers and lakes and connected ground water around the world. The Convention’s principal objective is to strengthen cooperation between states over their shared water resources following key principles of international law and prevent potential conflicts.
Despite the strong support the UNWC received during the adoption process in 1997, it took many years to get into force in 2014. The UNWC User’s Guide was designed to enhance the understanding of the Convention’s text and promote the UNWC to relevant actors around the world, to inform more potential parties and give guidance on implementation.
In July 2012, it was decided that a website should accompany the User’s Guide. The purpose of that website would be to enhance the accessibility of the User’s Guide and the Convention and support the efforts to promote the UNWC to stakeholders around the world. It was hoped that the website would provide the tools and analysis necessary to disseminate knowledge and understanding of the UNWC.
A year later, with help from a web design team from Zenelements and in close collaboration with Flavia Rocha Loures (WWF), Marie-Laure Vercambre (Green Cross), Lesha Witmer (consultant), and many others, the UNWC Online User’ Guide was launched at the 5th Annual International Law & Transboundary Freshwaters Workshop at the University of Dundee.
The Online User’s Guide is intended for anyone wishing to gain more insight into the content and relevance of the Convention’s text. In addition to the Convention’s text and the analysis provided by the User’s Guide, the website also includes exclusive media content, fact sheets and resources so as to complement and add to the analysis on the role and relevance of the UN Watercourses Convention.
The team in charge of the Online User’s Guide strives to make the website’s content as accessible, interactive and understandable as possible. If you have any queries or comments, do not hesitate to contact us.
