Drops of Change: Introducing the North American Youth Parliament for Water
This post is part of a new monthly series called “Drops of Change” by the North American Youth Parliament for Water (NAYPW), a chapter of the World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW). For more information on the NAYPW, you can explore their website or contact NAYPW at outreachnaypw@gmail.com.
Written by North American Youth Parliament for Water Leadership Committee Officers: Erica “Lynn” Porta, Michelle Korabik, Laina Timberg, Lauren Lawson, Kate Brown, Shreya Ramachandran, Bhagya Kulasooriya Galkissa Dewage, Abdullahi Hassan, Atifa Hoque
Raising youth voices from North America and the global water community
Youth, water, and climate change adaptation are three interconnected areas requiring the attention and progress of the international community. The World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW) is a global organization of youth and young professionals working in the water sector to build a future based on youth-inclusive development and adaptation in four key action areas: Raise Awareness, Local Action, Advocate, and Research. The North American Youth Parliament for Water (NAYPW) is a new WYPW chapter for activists in Canada and the USA. In our first five years (2021-2026), NAYPW aims to implement projects to connect our members with the global water community and raise youth voices in water, development, and climate change preparedness sectors. Through our partnership with AGWA, we plan to raise awareness about the diverse experience and expertise of youth in North America, and of our partners abroad, regarding water and climate change adaptation.
Youth networks rising together to empower the next Water Generation
The WYPW works to bring leaders in the water development sector from around the world together to build a youth-inclusive water future. The North American Youth Parliament for Water is the regional chapter for WYPW in North America. We have members from the USA and Canada organized into local action hubs across the continent. In addition to these local hubs, the NAYPW focuses on several of the WYPW key action areas: raising awareness, research, and local action.
Building a transboundary action network of youth Thirsty for Change
Canada and the USA share common issues over their water resources related to intersectional sanitation and hygiene equity, transboundary water reservoirs in need of more participatory management, and similar impacts of development and climate change on water-dependent ecosystems. In our first five years, we will focus our programs on four components of sustainable development for water and sanitation to create opportunities for our members working in areas related to:
SDG 6.5 Integrated Water Resources Management & Transboundary Cooperation
SDG 6.6 Water-related ecosystem protections
SDG 6.6 A WASH Cooperation and Capacity Building
SDG 6.6.B WASH Local Participation
To act on these issues and develop regional projects for our members in our first year, NAYPW has developed several strategic partnerships and programs for our members to be active in water, development, and sustainability sectors within our focal action areas:
Raise Awareness: Drops of Change guest column program with AGWA
The partnership between NAYPW and AGWA for our guest column program creates a platform to raise awareness of youth expertise and perspectives on specific topics related to water and climate change. Our posts will feature contributions from NAYPW members and our partners to raise their voices about their projects, passions, and experiences related to water and climate change.
Research: Young Professionals Blue Peace Index Whitepaper Program
The NAYPW partners with the Oregon Institute for Water and Watersheds, the Oregon State University Water Resources Graduate Program, The Economist Intelligence Unit team for the Blue Peace Index, and other supporting institutions in the pilot year of our program for the Young Professionals BPI Whitepaper. Through this program, we created multiple funded research positions for early-career researchers to deliver a policy position paper on international water governance practices in the Columbia River Basin during the negotiation period between the USA and Canada on the continuing terms of the 1964 Columbia River Treaty.
Local Action: Local action hubs and university clubs networking program
We localize and expand our grassroots work through the formation and partnership of clubs of young people, primarily through universities and colleges, with local water and conservation institutions. An early success was announced earlier this month from our Oregon State University action hub. Through the advocacy and negotiation of our local members, the Benton Soil and Water Conservation District voted to create a Student Associate Director Position, to be filled by a youth from the NAYPW, for their Board of Directors.
Connecting youth Thirsty for Change with AGWA experts for our common Water Future
The NAYPW recognizes the integral role young professionals play in finding solutions, conducting and developing research, bringing together different disciplines, peoples and groups, and influencing governmental policy towards a sustainable, equitable present and future. By engaging and promoting youth voices through the Drops of Change column, we hope to connect with the diverse established network of the AGWA in a generationally-inclusive manner. These connections will further the discussion on issues surrounding water and climate adaptation in the water future youth will navigate.