from local to global : The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect : the international NGO’ Coalition

‘From local to global’

 Launched within the framework of the 6^th World Water Forum, the Butterfly Effect is a coalition of international and local CSOs, which advocates for effective local solutions that have a sustainable impact on improving access to water and sanitation and water resource management. The Butterfly Effect is made up of over 90 civil society organizations, NGOs, networks and women’s’ organizations representing 4 different regions in the world (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe).

Mobilize – Advocate – Propose – Share

Our objectives are to :

§         Mobilize and facilitate meaningful NGO and CSO participation and contribution in World Water Fora and on the “Water” international agenda in general by pooling knowledge and resources and exert greater influence over the sector’s actors and decision-makers;

§         Promote inclusive processes in the World Water Fora in order to ensure a prominent role for civil society organisations, both throughout the preparatory processes and during the Forum;

§         Share innovative expertise: The Butterfly Effect proposes solutions based on human rights principles, communities’ experience that relate to policies, projects, information campaigns and empowering stakeholders. Crucially, these solutions are local, sustainable, adaptable, innovative, equitable, accountable and people-orientated.

Overcome the water crisis at all levels

We have identified several key water governance and management issues that need addressing to overcome the water crisis and contribute to water security in the broader sense :

§         The human right and access to safe water and sanitation: Implement this human right quickly, by all appropriate means and at all levels. Develop human rights based national roadmaps (national action plans) for the implementation of the human rights to safe water and sanitation by 2015 and beyond.

§         Governance: Integrate specifically the equity, participation and accountability dimensions of a human rights-based approach in water governance.

§         Finance: Implement sustainable reliable finance mechanisms that are earmarked for water and sanitation services for the poor (namely where fiscal and grant financing takes precedence over loan financing)

§         Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health linkages: Base sound policies on a “nexus” understanding of the critical linkages between sanitation, water, environment, health and nutrition.

§         Capacity Development: Create a demand / needs-based capacity development program that enables and empowers civil society, community organizations and stakeholders to fulfil their roles in water governance and management.

§         Peace and (transboundary) cooperation: Ratify and domesticate the UN Watercourses Convention, (and were appropriate the UNECE water convention) thus promoting basic rules for cooperation and sustainable and equitable use of international watercourses shared between States.

§         Water and natural resources management and climate change: Empower local communities and relevant institutions at the lowest relevant level to plan and manage water and related natural resources through scaling-up and enhancing valuable community-based mitigation and adaptation strategies and programs

§         Water -  and Food security: Recognize the value of local (indigenous and traditional) knowledge and ensure local voices are taken into account in policies and their implementation at all levels.

§         Water and emergencies: Support the appropriation and application of the Hyōgo framework for action by all States facing chronic crisis.

Our members :

ACF – AJAAMEP - AIDDP – ANDAR - ANEW - AOSED- ASSOCIATION DES VOLONTAIRES DU DEVELOPPEMENT DURABLE EN RDC- ARCA – BPW I - Both Ends- BORDA-CCFD- CCHR - CCOAD- CDC – LSTHM- CIUDAD- Coalition Eau- Coalition Nationale- Conservation International - Coopération Atlantique Guinée 44 – Corambiente – CRSD - 4D -  Eau Vive – EAST – Ecogerencia - Ecumenical Water Network - End Water Poverty - FAN Global- FAN Mexico- FAN South America (FANAS)- FAN South Asia (FANSA) - FANCA – FANAS - Fit For School- Grameen Development Society- GONWAS -Green Cross International- GRET- Groupe Pivot Eau-Hygiène et Assainissement- HSF- Helvetas- Humanitaire Plus- IIED-AL- IRTECO- Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW)- ISW- Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement- Jal Bhagirathi Foundation – KEWASNET - LEDARS - LVIA- Mediu et Sanitas- MENTOR Initiative- MFCS -Muslim Family Counselling services- MSB (Swedish civil contingency agency) – NASACAYUB -NCA- Netwater-Nile Basin Discourse – NRMI - OXYO WATER- Progressio- Projection- Protos- RADI - Réseau Africain pour le Développement Intégré – ROCS - SARAR - SCF-UK / Save the children- Secours Catholique – Caritas- SWE-SWEM- SIMAVI- Secours Islamique- Service Humanitaire de Développement - Stay Green Foundation- SWAPHEP- Tearfund – UICN – UNISUR - Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO Network (UWASNET)- Volta Basin Development Foundation / Ghana Dams Dialogue- WaterAid Burkina Faso- WaterAid Nepal- WaterLex- WECF- WET (project) - Wetlands international- WfWP- WU-WASH UNITED- WWF – International- WWF – France- WWF-Suisse.

Contact :

Maggie White, International Secretariat for Water (ISW)

Coordinator of the Butterfly Effect

Email : mwhite[at]sie-isw.org

Cell. : +33677250055