Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Millennium Water Alliance!
MWA aims to deliver global water security and resilience results by mobilizing a community of expert members, driving collective action and thought leadership, and influencing strategy funding. The alliance includes 27 organizations (NGOs, businesses, research institutes) that operate across 100+ countries.
If you would like to join MWA or find opportunities to work together, please reach out to us at info@mwawater.org.
Join Our Events
Sunday, August 24
Hygiene behavior change on WASH in HCFs in diverse climates
August 24, 9 am CEST, Room 26, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
To achieve the SDG 6, improvement of WASH in healthcare facilities (HCFs) is essential. Therefore, we discuss the current WASH situation in HCFs and ways to improve WASH in HCFs based on the successful experiences of hygiene behavior change in Madagascar, Tanzania, Nepal, and Malawi, each with a different climate.
Treatment – the indispensable services for Africa’s Safely Managed Sanitation
August 24, 9 am CEST, A4, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
The session will highlight the lack of attention to the entire downstream part of the sanitation value chain, and treatment in particular. It will also show the state of faecal sludge treatment plants in Africa and suggest improvements towards safely managed and climate resilient sanitation services for all.
Eliminating Lead in Drinking Water: Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa
August 24, 11 am CEST, Room 24/25, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: World Vision, RTI
There is widespread lead contamination in drinking water supply systems throughout sub-Saharan Africa at levels of health concern. Since lead exposure can have profound and life-long impacts, immediate action must be taken. This session will discuss steps that implementers can take to prevent and mitigate lead exposure from drinking water.
Support Government of Ethiopia in Achieving Strong, Equitable Water+ Services
August 24, 1 pm CEST, Online
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: CARE
Seize the Water” works with the Government of Ethiopia at the nexus of women’s empowerment, water+ services and system strengthening. CARE works with various Ministries to design a Gender Equality Strategy and implementation guidelines.
Advancing Water Security in Africa Using Experiential (WISE) Data
August 24, 2 pm CEST, A2, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
Measurements of experiences with water access, use, and reliability were recently recommended by JMP for tracking progress towards SDG6. However, decisionmakers may be unfamiliar with this new indicator. We’ll explain the 3-minute Water Insecurity Experiences (WISE) Scale and share policy-relevant, “real-world” findings using WISE data from ~20 African countries.
Bridging WASH political leadership and financial accountability
August 24, 2 pm CEST, Room 26, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH, WaterAid
As political leaders engage in the Heads of State Initiatives to make WASH a priority, embedding country commitments in a robust monitoring framework is critical. This session will demonstrate how developing WASH accounts to track financial flows facilitates mutual accountability among governments and partners, thereby accelerating progress toward SDG 6.
Nature-based Solutions evaluation tools to promote climate resilience
August 24, 4 pm CEST, Online
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: RTI
We will describe and demonstrate tools created to promote science-based water management related to resilience, climate change, and environmental justice. Case studies will show how the tools are used to plan and quantify benefits of Nature-Based Solutions within a watershed context. Finally, an open discussion will promote knowledge exchange.
Monday, August 25
Driving Demand: Market Solutions, Sanitation Planning, & Climate Resilient
August 25, 2 pm CEST, Room 26, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH
The One for All Alliance – IRC WASH, Water for People, and Water for Good – invests in sanitation innovations to close the gap for sustainable services in rural communities. Cases include market-based approaches, master planning, nature-based solutions, and demand generation for climate resilient sanitation solutions.
SIWI Seminar 1/3 – Mitigating and Adapting to climate impacts through sanitation systems
August 25, 2 pm CEST, Online
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
This session establishes the foundational evidence for integrating sanitation with climate action, highlighting how climate events disrupt sanitation systems and presents the latest data and case studies on greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation. Emphasizing both its mitigation and adaptation potential, the session articulates how climate-resilient sanitation services make communities more resilient and better prepared.
Tuesday, August 26
Principles of a Just Water Partnership: status review and update
August 26, 11 am CEST, C2, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
In early 2025, a multi-stakeholder process was initiated to co-develop the definition and underlying principles of a Just Water Partnership. This working session will review the draft text to gather additional input as it prepares to launch the principles at COP30 and also discuss how to move forward.
Climate finance for water and sanitation: what does it take
August 26, 1 pm CEST, Online
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH
Discover the essentials of climate finance from the perspective of water, sanitation and hygiene. Understand the role WASH has in building our collective climate resilience, how climate funds are set up, learn how it links to social justice and the way we can collectively move forward.
SIWI Seminar 2/3 – Mitigating and Adapting to climate impacts through sanitation systems
August 26, 2 pm CEST, C1, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
This gamified hybrid session demonstrates that effective solutions for climate-resilient sanitation exist. It will showcase successful adaptation and mitigation interventions from Panama, Kenya and Bangladesh, emphasizing system strengthening, and build a compelling case for increased financing to scale up these proven solutions.
Enhancing Climate Resilience through innovative collaboration, the humanitarian WASH Roadmap
August 26, 4 pm CEST, C4, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: Save the Children
As extreme weather conditions intensify, the frequency and severity of natural disasters and humanitarian crises are escalating, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. The WASH sector (humanitarian and development) plays a pivotal role in responding, ensuring access to essential services and fostering resilience. Let’s delve into the WASH RoadMap to understand how!
Renewing Water with Nature-Based Solutions
August 26, 4 pm CEST, C3, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: World Resources Institute
Join us for a session exploring the critical role of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address climate change and water management challenges in LAC. It will showcase integrated and strategic approaches to use NbS to enhance climate resilience through improving water security and restoring ecosystems.
Applying Climate Reparative Finance Toward Water Security
August 26, 4 pm CEST, A4, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: University of Colorado – Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience, Millennium Water Alliance, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
This session explores how emerging climate finance mechanisms—particularly carbon credits—can support water security, quality, and reliability. Expert practitioners will highlight real-world applications across diverse contexts including drinking water treatment, irrigation, and watershed restoration in Rwanda, Kenya, DR Congo, Madagascar, and Turkey. The discussion will examine how clean water access in low-income settings reduces emissions from boiling water, and how irrigation upgrades cut methane and nitrous oxide emissions while conserving water. Presenters will share both the opportunities and limitations of leveraging carbon finance to drive sustainable, performance-based investments in water infrastructure.
Wednesday, August 27
Gender Equality and WASH – mutually reinforcing domains of change
August 27, 9 am CEST, C2, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid, World Vision
This session will showcase evidence based examples of WASH programmes supporting greater gender equality and social inclusion through a focus on women’s empowerment and WASH as mutually reinforcing objectives. it will also highlight how good data is essential to this recipe for change.
SIWI Seminar 3/3 – Mitigating and Adapting to climate impacts through sanitation systems
August 27, 11 am CEST, Room 27, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
This onsite workshop provides a comprehensive overview of current climate financing options for sanitation, including the recently published guidance on climate resilient sanitation from the Green Climate Fund. Through case-based groupwork, participants will gain practical knowledge and confidence to develop and submit concept notes for climate-resilient sanitation projects to various climate funders.
Global Report on State of Water and Sanitation Utilities
August 27, 12 pm CEST, Talk Show Studio, L5
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH
This event will present key messages from the forthcoming UN-Habitat/GWOPA global report on the “State of Water and Sanitation Utilities,” in collaboration with IRC and Water for People, amplifying the voices of public utilities as key service providers in in urban settlements in delivering SDG6 and related goals.
Strengthening Water Resilience for Climate Adaptation in Madagascar and Ethiopia
August 27, 1 pm CEST, Online
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: CARE
Climate change threatens water security, requiring resilient water systems and service models. In Madagascar, CARE and partners have improved financing, technology, and governance to expand equitable access, through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). In Ethiopia, solar powered water points, buffer zones and careful evaluation and planning increase resilience to climate change.
Align to Accelerate – identifying core indicators to monitor WASH systems
August 27, 2 pm CEST, C2, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
An agreed set of core indicators to monitor the strength of WASH systems is needed to help drive progress in achieving SDG 6. This session will share updates on Align to Accelerate, including indicator domains, potential indicators and the multi-stakeholder process for identifying the indicators.
Reimagining Urban Blue Spaces Across Africa
August 27, 2 pm CEST, Room 24/25, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: World Resources Institute
Rapidly urbanizing cities are especially vulnerable to water-related shocks. This workshop will showcase the importance of community engagement in local climate action to reduce flood-related vulnerabilities and expand residents’ equitable access to urban blue spaces. Participants will share experiences to foster collaboration and learnings.
The European Water Resilience Strategy: Leaving no one behind
August 27, 2 pm CEST, A4, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
The discussion would aim to focus on what some elements of what the European Water Resiliency’s international dimension should include to address global water stress, with a focus on the most vulnerable, on the path to the UN Water 2026 Conference.
Climate, hygiene, and health: a research agenda for future adaptations
August 27, 4 pm CEST, C2, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH, WaterAid
A comprehensive understanding of the linkages between climate change, hygiene, and health – as well as the key priority research questions needed to ensure climate-resilient inclusive programming – is lacking. In this session, we will present and discuss findings from a research prioritization exercise on climate change, hygiene, and health.
Emerging Technologies to Monitor and Act on Drinking Water Contamination
August 27, 4 pm CEST, A2, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: University of Colorado – Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience
Fecal contamination in drinking water affects over 4.4 billion people worldwide, with impacts spanning low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Socioeconomically marginalized communities—regardless of income level—are disproportionately affected by poor water quality. However, continuous in-situ monitoring of fecal contamination remains limited due to a lack of accessible, validated, and autonomous E. coli detection technologies. This session brings together academic researchers, technologists, and water practitioners to explore the current state of in-situ monitoring, highlighting key technical gaps, emerging innovations, and case studies from diverse contexts—including rural Africa, urban Latin America, and major U.S. cities like Chicago. By bridging research and real-world applications, the session aims to advance global public health, water quality management, and progress toward SDGs 6 and 9.
Innovative financing solutions for climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene
August 27, 4 pm CEST, A6, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
What is the potential role for innovative finance to address financing gaps – and where? Not all solutions apply to all situations. Building on country-level experiences, this session will look at innovative finance with a fresh and more seasoned eye, providing a reality check on how and where to call on financial innovations for scaling-up water and sanitation services.
Systems Strengthening as a Driver for Climate-Resilient Water Supply Service
August 27, 4 pm CEST, Room 24/25, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
Climate resilience in WASH depends on strengthening governance, finance, service delivery, and infrastructure, yet these elements often remain fragmented. This session will demonstrate how WASH systems strengthening can drive climate resilience, using best practices from Agenda for Change members. We will highlight policy approaches, financing mechanisms, and programmatic strategies that successfully integrate climate resilience into WASH services.
Thursday, August 28
Climate Resilience Schools: The Interface of WinS & Climate adaptation
August 28, 9 am CEST, A4, Level 6
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid, Splash
To ensure sustainable and resilient WASH services and behaviours in schools, we need better understanding of the absorptive capacity of the education sector. Providing clear strategies on how and which kind of solutions are feasible for scalable implementation. This session will showcase successful examples and recommendations for climate resilient WinS.
Three Ways Climate Finance Drives Us Towards SDG6
August 28, 9 am CEST, C4, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: Water Mission, Millennium Water Alliance
Is generating carbon credits through safe water projects worth the investment? This session will explore carbon credits as a tool to accelerate progress towards SDG 6.1 in three ways: performance, scale and finance. Four carbon project developers will share insights on the ROI of carbon credits for safe water programs, and experts will discuss the future of the global carbon and social impact markets.
Intergenerational workshop on climate-smart WASH
August 28, 11 am CEST, Room 24/25, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
Are you a young person interested in climate-smart WASH ? – Join us to engage with experts from research, NGOs and private sector! Are you an expert on climate-smart WASH? – Join us to share your experience and get inspired by young WASH professionals! This intergenerational workshop facilitates an exchange about climate-resilient and climate-smart WASH solutions. It provides a platform for senior experts and junior initiators to interact, discuss best practices, upscaling and mainstreaming innovative approaches and tools for climate-smart WASH solutions.
Elevating Equality: Integrating human rights for strong WASH systems
August 28, 11 am CEST, Room 27, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH
More than 10 organisations explore together and give an interactive platform to the audience on “How can including human rights’ principles* enhance system-strengthening approaches to achieve universal access to safely managed water and sanitation services, without discrimination?”
*Participation, Accountability, Sustainability, Transparency and Access to Information, Equality & Non-discrimination
Taking action with freshwater science-based targets for business resilience
August 28, 11 am CEST, C3, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: World Resources Institute
This session will showcase how companies are taking action on freshwater through science-based targets. Science Based Targets Network experts will highlight the connection between science-based targets for nature and climate action, while companies will share insights from their freshwater stewardship journey, including investments in biodiversity, water security, and resilient ecosystems.
Sanitation workers, 6 years on: Successes, resources, and looking forward
August 28, 11 am CEST, C4, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
The session highlights how the empowerment of sanitation workers strengthens sanitation service delivery. It presents the outputs, successes and challenges of the work of the global advocacy Initiative for Sanitation Workers, highlighting changes for sanitation workers in policy and practice since its inception.
French interpretation available (online).
Building resilience into water and sanitation systems
August 28, 2 pm CEST, Room 27, Level 2
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: IRC WASH
This session explores practical actions to build resilience into water and sanitation systems: a vital climate action in the face of global change. Starting from three different ways of looking at problems (risk-hazard; contextual vulnerability; and socio-economic systems) it presents promising areas and ideas for transformative adaptation.
Sequentially modelling climate resilient hygiene and WASH interventions in schools
August 28, 3 pm CEST, Online
MWA Member(s) Supporting Convening: WaterAid
Climate resilient WASH services act as pre-condition for behaviours and evidence led novel hygiene intervention leads sustain practices among students. This session will showcase the successful results from multi-country cluster randomized sequential trial on climate resilient WASH services and hygiene intervention and recommendations for scaling proof-of-concept intervention in school.