Central Asian youth make waves in Brasilia

Six young water professionals from Central Asia made a big impact at the World Water Forum in Brasilia this March.

For the first time, youth from each of the six Central Asian states were able to participate in Forum sessions. They were present at all the Blue Peace Talks, and the youth sessions ISW organized at the Senegalese and French pavilions.

At the World Youth Parliament for Water’s general assembly, held concurrently with the Forum, they represented their countries. Their presence was made possible thanks to support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

The attendees were (first photo left to right): Nataliya Chemayeva (Turkmenistan), Mirsaid Uzakov (Uzbekistan), Bota Sharipova (Kazakhstan), Aminjon Abdulloev (Tajikistan), Ekaterina Aleksandrovskaia (Kyrgyzstan) and Daud Hamidi (Afghanistan, photo on top right)

Participants presented at these sessions :

Botagoz Sharipova (Kazakhstan) was a panelist on the High-Level Panel on integrated water resources management (IWRM) convened by OECD, IUCN and the WWC. She had the unique opportunity to share her view on revitalizing the IWRM concept in front of ministers from Morocco and Myanmar, the chair of the Global Programme for Water, and others. She launched the Youth For Water and Peace platform/blog during the High Level Panel on Water and Peace organized by the Geneva Water Hub. The space is now under development and will be jointly managed by  GWH, the WYPW and ISW.

Daud Hamidi (Afghanistan) was a panelist at the Youth Participation in Decision Making Processes session at the Citizen’s Forum. He shared his experience creating the Afghan Youth Parliament for Water, which grew out of the Astana workshop in June 2017.

Aminjon Abdulloev (Tajikistan), Mirsaid Uzakov (Uzbekistan) and Nataliya Chemayeva (Turkmenistan) spoke at the panel on Transboundary Water Cooperation in Central Asia, presented by CAREC.

During the World Youth Parliament for Water general assembly:

The Central Asian youth participated actively in WYPW workshops and sessions. Presentation to peers of results from preparatory meetings for Central Asia (Astana and Dushanbe) and on the region’s water challenges.

Botagoz Sharipova was elected as the Asia representative on the WYPW board for a three-year term (until 2021).

Contributed to final messages of the World Youth Parliament for Water, drawing on the Youth Vision for Water developed last year in Astana. This in turn influenced the final declaration. See the IISD’s article for more.

Visited the Santuário dos Pajés indigenous community outside of Brasilia. Threatened on all sides by real estate development and diversion of the riverbed that feeds their land, the community members generously welcomed the WYPW members and shared the issues they are facing. The Central Asian youth were extended the privilege of planting a tree inside the community.

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