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Water unites communities

By United Nations Development Programme

June 14^th, 2024

Water sustains life

It is a fundamental and invaluable resource for the well-being of both natural and human systems.

It gives hydration for us and the plants we grow. Waterways, natural or human-made, connect people and communities.

Water and climate change are inextricably linked.

With increasing extreme weather, water can become more scarce, unpredictable and polluted.

When water becomes scarce, whole systems shatter, affecting sustainable development, biodiversity, and people’s access to water and sanitation. Communities become disconnected, and tensions arise.

This is the story of three communities that were pushed apart, and then reconnected by water.

“Mazloum village is far from the Euphrates River, and water can hardly reach its land. The irrigation canal of our village passed through Marat village, and their farmers used to withdraw water from it. The irrigation canal was long and water did not sufficiently reach Mazloum village, leaving its land thirsty and dry. We relied on wells for irrigation, which reduced production and significantly damaged our land." - Sheikh Huwaidi AlHindawi, leader of the Al-Rashed tribe in Mazloum village

Water spreads kindness

In the Deir ez-Zor governorate in Eastern Syria, farmers rely on water from the Euphrates River, which flows through the area surrounded by arid lands. Years of conflict have divided and neglected the land and its people. Rehabilitating the land and the social relations is a challenge for both communities.

The leaders of Mazloum and Marat villages are part of one of the seven newly formed Collaborative Dispute Resolution Committees, which serve as mediators for conflicts between communities and build trust between people. After training with UNDP, the committees facilitated dialogues and involved their communities in developing initiatives to tackle some of the challenges they are facing.

One of these initiatives was proposed by the two villages; solving the issue with the irrigation canal.

The local committee started working. Through the active participation of village residents, including women, an agreement was made to extend and rehabilitate the canal.

The canal helped irrigate approximately 2,500 dunums (2.5 square kilometres) and supported around 350 families in the villages that depend on the farms. Besides providing water to the farms and increasing agricultural production, the canal also engaged both communities in managing and governing the water, allowing for a faster response to droughts and promoting local economic stability. When the competition over the water was gone, and the people had worked together to solve the issue in a way that benefitted everyone, tensions were reduced.

“If the problem persisted, the results would have been disastrous between the two villages. We called it the Kindness Canal because it really spreads compassion.” - Sheikh Huwaidi AlHindawi

Water connects people

“There are times when agriculture becomes impossible here.” - Nallathambi Velayutham, Indigenous community leader, farmer and fisherman

Madurankernikulam and Kunjakulam are homes to 229 Indigenous families in Eastern Sri Lanka’s Batticaloa region.

These villages are in remote, hard-to-reach areas with limited basic services, including education and health. Communities also struggle to obtain public services to safeguard their livelihoods. They suffer from poor roads and the frequent flooding of the central water canal, which provides water for farms in both villages. This not only damages crops but also disrupts the villagers' daily lives.

Tensions over managing the water were rising.

Gajendini, member of Vani Community Center, speaking on behalf of the Mandurankernikulam villagers. Photo: UNDP Sri Lanka

“Due to the lack of roads, it was difficult for the elderly to get medicine during the floods. School-students were not able to use that land during floods. There have been cases of female teachers travelling in motor vehicles who have slipped.” - Gajendini, Member of Vani Community Center

The local Praja Mandala, a community governance group that focuses on engaging people in decision-making and fostering leadership, became central to planning and building a new road and fixing the canal. With people from both villages participating, joint management of the infrastructure improvements built mutual trust and understanding.

Community group meeting with UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka and CSO members, sharing how the community groups led to community-focused solutions. Photo: UNDP Sri Lanka

Women are also now participating in managing water resources.

Three women leaders from Indigenous groups are serving on the committee overseeing the operation and maintenance of the water canal. With the canal controlling the water flow, the harvest has grown from 5 - 10 sacks to 20 - 25 sacks per acre.

In Vavuniya, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa districts in the conflict-affected dry zone of Sri Lanka, UNDP works to identify and implement solutions for environmental and resource-based conflicts in diverse communities. A new database contains more than 13,000 recorded land and water-related conflicts since 1956. New incidents are being tracked, and an early warning mobile application helps people report any disputes. UNDP has also built the capacities of 246 government officials and NGO staff in early warning systems.

More than 18,350 people have indirectly benefitted from the community-based interventions. Through 16 multi-stakeholder consultations, 735 participants, including 292 women and 133 youth, were involved in planning and running the community interventions.

"In most of the past meetings with other partners, it has always been the men who attended, as they have to travel to the town. For a change, in this meeting, we were able to raise our concerns and identify the main issues collectively.” - Praja Mandala, household representative

Water builds resilience

The Dikhil area in southern Djibouti, next to the Ethiopian border, is a remote, arid area with diverse ethnic communities. The people in the region have limited essential services and resources. The poverty rate is 78 percent, and 42 percent of the people are also food insecure, according to a new study by UNDP, the Ministry of Interior of Djibouti, and the Center of Technology and Innovation for Development.

Two villages in the area host distinct ethnic groups. The Sadli village is inhabited by the agricultural Afar community, and the Bakkere village area is home to the nomadic Somali community involved in the trade. More than 1,000 people call these villages home.

Climate change has worsened water scarcity, and frequent droughts have increased migration, increasing vulnerability and putting strains on social cohesion of the two communities.

Following community surveys that mapped the most urgent needs, and studies on the area's hydro-geophysics, UNDP supported the construction of wells and water tanks with solar pumps and fountain systems in both villages, bringing water to people, farms, and livestock.

Shared farming activities have improved water access and collaboration between communities, fostering trust, strengthening social bonds, and building resilience against climate change. Women also play a significant role; 40 women are participating in managing water resources.

UNDP works in the Dikhil region beyond two villages to bring communities together. The Dikhil Forum 2023, under the leadership of the Ministry of Interior and supported by the Center for Technology and Innovation for Development (CTID), gathered more than 100 stakeholders to craft the ‘Charter of Dikhil’ that advocates for local development and resilience. Youth and women’s involvement has been key, with 18 young people leading dialogue spaces as social cohesion ambassadors during the forum. The partnership efforts help create a national strategy for social cohesion, promoting a strong society capable of tackling the challenging environment.

Water unites communities

Climate change is expected to exacerbate threats to the ability to access water, food, and sanitation. Growing resource constraints threaten social cohesion, raising the risk of conflict over ever more scarce resources. Risks for stability, peace, and security are multiplied.

Targeted, community-driven initiatives, including canals, road renovation, and land use management, can go beyond physical infrastructure development and address the conflict triggers. Conflicts over natural resources and climate change impact women at disproportionate levels, underlining the importance of their presence in the decision-making processes.

Building stronger, more resilient communities that are united in their efforts to improve living conditions and resolve conflict starts at the roots. It grows into the social, economic, and environmental well-being.

The mentioned projects were funded through the Funding Windows, UNDP’s thematic funding mechanism. The Governance, Peacebuilding, Crisis and Resilience Window is supported by Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Republic of Korea.

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