The International Secretariat for Water and its partners announce the open call for proposals.
The winners of the competition will be able to get consultancy from leading experts in the water sector and win up to 3,500 euros to implement their ideas.
The world is currently facing a global health emergency:
· 1 in 3 people still do not have access to safely managed domestic water supply services;
· half of the world’s population, does not have access to safely managed sanitation services;
· 40% of households lack soap and water hand-washing facilities.
The risks related to the current global COVID-19 pandemic are thus aggravating for the most vulnerable populations. This unprecedented global challenge has emphasized the vital importance of integrated and sustainable water management.
Globally, youth has stepped up proposing innovative and creative ideas; help those in need and taking leadership positions. It is extremely important for everyone to support each other and especially youth engaged in water security.
The objective of the project is
To support youth initiatives related to water management and climate change adaptation in a context of global pandemic and health emergency
The call for project will be structured around 4 main themes. Admissible projects must cover one or several of these themes:
· Water and health: WASH emergency response & communication related to the current COVID-19 pandemic, health campaigns, water-borne diseases, etc.
· Water and agriculture: can be related to food safety which could be exacerbated by the current global crisis, irrigation, drought issues, rainwater harvesting, etc.
· Water-related risks: can be related to risk management, recovery and response to natural disasters, floods, drought, etc. Such situations are still occurring despite the health crisis and must not be forgotten!
· Sharing water: can be related to transboundary cooperation which can be particularly difficult considering the current border shutdowns, watershed management, water & peace, etc.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, participants and their project must correspond to the following rules:
· The project must be conceived, led and implemented by youth aged between 18 and 35;
· Project implementation must respect local public health rules and regulations regarding the current pandemic and must not increase the level of risks for project leaders and communities;
· Project leaders must have project management experience;
· Project leaders from every part of the world are eligible but projects from low- and middle-income countries or targeting indigenous communities will be prioritized;
· Project must address at least one of the four pillars;
· Youth participation must be included across all aspects of the project.
· Projects must have a direct local impact on vulnerable communities;
· Can be a new or ongoing project
· Projects can be submitted in French, English or Russian
HOW TO APPLY
Deadline for submission – June 7, 2020
The results will be announced approximately one week after the submission deadline.
Prizes and Awards
The selected projects will receive financial support up to 3500 euros each. These projects will be featured on the YWC platform for additional visibility.
Projects must be completed by November 2020. Financial and operational reports will need to be submitted at different stages of the project (mid-project & end of phase reports).
More information available at Youth Water Climate
Additional materials for Project Preparation
YWC is a place to help turn youth ideas into reality. They provide tools to improve projects and help youth leaders match and connect their initiatives with partners and resources.