Program Summary

GLOWS' mission is to promote the integrated management of water resources and aquatic ecosystems world-wide. Program activites seek to simultaneously maximize the economic and social benefits derived from water resources while sustaining freshwater ecosystems.

Working at a basin, watershed or aquifer scale, the GLOWS consortium provides expertise across the policy, governance, institutional, educational, and technical dimensions of integrated water resources management (IWRM). Approaches combine improved sanitation and potable water supply, advanced analytical techniques, innovative mechanisms for sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation, community-based programs in poverty alleviation, and global networking of local NGOs to achieve IWRM objectives.

With field offices in most USAID countries, the consortium possesses the infrastructure and skilled staff to plan and implement projects efficiently wherever USAID operates.

The program includes three key elements:

Strengthening Cooperative Governance and Strategic Decision-Making by

• Promoting citizen participation, community involvement, intergovernmental cooperation and collaborative approaches to decision-making in IWRM
• Building capacity of government officials and administrators, NGOs, and community members in effective development, planning, management, and administration of complex IWRM activities

Supporting innovative and sustainable technical interventions by

• Promoting best practices in water demand management and pollution prevention
• Fostering sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic ecosystem protection
• Working with communities to provide sustainable water and sanitation services

Fostering global learning and local capacity building in IWRM by

• Sharing information and disseminating lessons with USAID Missions and other peers in the field
• Recruiting and training talented citizens of USAID Mission countries, in order to cultivate local and regional leadership and capacity to implement world-class IWRM activities.