Konflikterne om vand i Syd-landene

Time: Tuesday, 14 September at 12.30 – 16.00 hours

Venue: Danish Institute for International Studies, Main Auditorium, ground floor, Strandgade 71, Christianshavn, 1401 Kbn K

Population growth and climate change are often regarded as factors that will lead to increased water conflicts in developing countries in the future.

Time: Tuesday, 14 September at 12.30 – 16.00 hours

Venue: Danish Institute for International Studies, Main Auditorium, ground floor, Strandgade 71, Christianshavn, 1401 Kbn K

Population growth and climate change are often regarded as factors that will lead to increased water conflicts in developing countries in the future.

However, to many rural poor in these countries, local water conflicts are already a well-established fact of life, whether as a result of increasing absolute water scarcity or other factors such as unequal distribution of water and the politics of local water development and governance.

Importantly, competition for water rarely leads only to conflict, but often also includes efforts of cooperation between local water users. Understanding the nature and impacts of such local water-related conflict and cooperation can help improve the basis for water governance in a context of poverty and increasing demands for water.

The seminar will consist of six presentations on selected key aspects of local water conflict and cooperation.

The presentations will draw on the emerging findings from the Competing for Water research programme, which has mapped and explored local water conflict and cooperation in five districts in Bolivia, Mali, Nicaragua, Vietnam and Zambia.

In these five districts alone, the programme estimates that some 6.000 water-related events have taken place since 1997.

The presentations will be provided by members of the collaborative Competing for Water research programme, whose partners are in Copenhagen to work on the findings from their research.

Further information and documentation on the programme and its partners can be found on http://diis.dk/sw32225.asp

PROGRAMME

12.30-13.00
Registration and Sandwiches

13.00-13.10
Welcome and Introduction by Kurt Mørck Jensen, Senior Advisor, Danida

13.10-14.45
Panel 1: Understanding Local Water Conflict and Cooperation

13.10-13.30
The Water Governance Challenge: Key Findings on Local Water Conflict and Cooperation by Helle Munk Ravnborg, Senior Researcher, DIIS

13.30-13.50
When Water is not the Issue, but the Occasion: Struggles over Power and Authority in Water Conflicts – The Case of Mali by Moussa Djire, Professor, University of Bamako, Mali

13.50-14.10
Conflict and Cooperation in Rural Water Development Projects: Findings from Bolivia, Vietnam and Zambia Competing for Water Team (presenter to be determined)

14.10-14.25
Plenary Discussion, Including Implications for Water Policy and Practice (IWRM, rural water planning etc)

14.25-14.45
Tea and Coffee

14.45-16.00
Panel 2: Poverty and Inequality in Local Water Conflict and Cooperation

14.45-15.05
Infrastructure Development and Local Water Conflict and Cooperation – The Case of Zambia by Imasiku Nyambe, Professor, University of Zambia, Zambia

15.05-15.25
The Implications of Inequality for Water Access and Conflict Resolution: Findings from Nicaragua and Vietnam by Helle Munk Ravnborg, Senior Researcher, DIIS, and Phuong Le, Programme Researcher, Agricultural University, Hanoi, Vietnam

15.25-15.45
Strategies of the Poor in Local Water Conflict and Cooperation by Mikkel Funder, Project Researcher, DIIS

15.45-16.00
Plenary Discussion, Including How to Address Inequality in Water Access and Governance

Chair: Kurt Mørck Jensen, Senior Advisor, Danida

The seminar will be held in English.

Participation is free of charge and includes a sandwich lunch. Registration is required. Please use our online registration form on http://www.diis.dk/sw95924.asp

And do so no later than Friday, 10 September 2010 at 12.00 noon.

Please await confirmation by e-mail from DIIS for participation.

Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), The Conference Section, Strandgade 56, 1401 Kbn K, Ph. 32 69 87 51, Fax 32 69 87 00, E-mail: [email protected] og Web: www.diis.dk