The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) and the International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management (i-WSSM), under the auspices of UNESCO, cordially invite research scientists, practitioners, and experts from international organisations, government agencies, non-profit institutions, and the private sector to submit proposals/abstracts for the upcoming Issue 7 of the Global Water Security Issues (GWSI) Series.
Planned for publication in 2026-2027, Issue 7 will focus on the theme “Water and Gender”, with a particular emphasis on women’s rights and equal opportunities in the context of water resources access and management.
Proposals (abstracts) should be submitted using this proposal template. Selected authors will be invited to further develop their submissions into full draft chapters. These chapters will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, with only accepted submissions included in GWSI Issue 7.
The selected chapters shall be original, high-quality research or policy analysis not previously published elsewhere.
Chapter proposals must contain the information outlined in the attached Proposal Template (see pages 4 and 5).
GWSI chapters will need to meet the following requirements:
- Topics: The thematic focus of chapters should align with the overall theme and address topic(s) identified in the Proposal Template (see below)
- Content: Chapters should include the content identified in Section 2, Content.
- Case Study: It is strongly encouraged that chapters include details of one or more practical and successful case studies.
- Environmental and socioeconomic settings: Papers may be tailored to specific environmental and socioeconomic settings, or they may be broadly applicable; in all cases, linkages to policy issues and/or key policy decisions must be included.
- Languages: Proposals and chapters must be submitted in English.
- Format: The final chapter should be between 4000 to 8000 words including all images and references.
- Maps and cartography: It is recommended not to include geographical and/or administrative maps unless strictly necessary. In the case that maps are included in accepted chapters, they should strictly comply with the UNESCO Map Policy and only UN maps shall be used.
- Gender equality: Papers should use gender neutral language and if available, present sex-disaggregated data.
Chapter proposals (using this Proposal Template) are due by 28 February 2025.
Objectives of the Issue
The main objective of the Global Water Security Issues Series is to collect and disseminate practical cases, best practices and analyses on water security which is defined as ”the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.”(UN Water 2013).
By publishing the work of distinguished researchers from worldwide, the GWSI provides a platform for knowledge dissemination and experience sharing on a broad range of issues related to water security. Focusing on a specific theme, each issue of the GWSI Series highlights the crucial aspects related to the theme, broadens discourses, shares practical cases, contributing to water-related agendas and SDGs. The specific objectives of this issue of the publication include:
- To collect and disseminate research findings, practical applications and best practices on water and gender to promote equal rights and opportunities to women and girls, globally.
- To strengthen scientific information sharing and cooperation among researchers in the water sector and beyond
- To encourage and enhance research on water security, in particular water and gender
- To strengthen further the global knowledge base on water and gender towards women’s equal rights and opportunities, bringing together diverse regional and national perspectives
- To identify solutions for improving water security in a broader context, and
To contribute to achieving water security and gender equality for women’s equal rights and opportunities in the long-term.
2. CONTENT OF THE PROPOSAL
Contributing chapters should include:
- Background information for an informed but non-expert reader
- Definition of key terms
- Key questions addressed and scope of the paper
- Methodology
- Case Study synopsis
- Discussion, including the impacts and risks identified by your research
- Policy implications and, as appropriate for the paper, recommendations or next steps
- Figures, drawings and photographs suitable for publication.
Refer to the themes on the Proposal Template.
3. SUBMISSION AND CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Proposals for chapters must be submitted using the Proposal Template, below. Please send the completed Proposal Template to IWRA Project Officer, Raya Marina-Stephan: r.stephan@iwra.org.
The scheduled dates for proposal selection and the chapter development process are as follows:
- By 28 February 2025, authors must submit a completed proposal template for review by the selection committee.
- By 31 March 2025, authors will be notified of the committee’s decision.
- By 15 June 2025, selected authors should submit the first draft of their chapter to IWRA Project Officer, Raya Marina-Stephan (r.stephan@iwra.org). Drafts will undergo substantive review by the Editorial Board and two peer reviewers.
- By 31 July 2025, authors will receive review comments and the Editorial Board’s decision on whether to proceed (or not) to the next stage.
- By 30 September 2025, authors must submit revised chapters incorporating the review comments.
- By 1 December 2025, final decisions on chapter acceptance for publication in GWSI Issue 7 will be communicated to authors. Minor revisions may still be requested before publication.
- Proposals aligned with the topics in the Proposal Template will be prioritised, though relevant submissions outside these topics may also be considered.
Background
Water Security’ has increasingly become a priority at the national and global levels, as water resources are under growing pressures from global changes. Although water security has received greater consideration as a concept in research and discussions over the past decade, there are a variety of topics related to water security that have not yet been extensively researched. As such, there is an urgent need to conduct research into emerging and future global issues that are related to water security within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and to disseminate the research results for putting water security concepts into practice. The GWSI Issue 7 will focus on the theme Water and Gender: Towards women’s equal rights and opportunities.
Realising gender equality and the empowerment of women is central to the Sustainable Development Goals The achievement of full human potential and of sustainable development cannot be possible without the complete empowerment of women and girls. Women and girls must enjoy equal access to quality education, economic resources and political participation, as well as same opportunities with men and boys for employment, leadership and decision-making at all levels. This cannot be achieved without the full realisation of their access to water, and their participation in its management. Women and girls, as other vulnerable groups, often lack access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and facilities.
Furthermore, with climate change, women face different and disproportionate challenges and burdens caused by water disasters. To achieve water security for all, it is imperative that the gender dimension be meaningfully incorporated into water policies, governance, and management practices. Progress has been made, yet many challenges lie ahead. Approaches to achieve a lasting change rely on adopting and implementing policies, legal tools and incentives to ensure women’s and girls’ rights to water and sanitation and to empower women in water management.
Researchers and practitioners making decisions on water security are invited to submit proposals (abstracts) for contributions on policies, economic and legal instruments, and social/community-based approaches designed to improve women’s participation, inclusion and equality in water access and management, to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate-related water disasters on women and girls, and to empower women for their role and participation in management decisions. Case studies on practical and applied policy responses, tools, methods, and approaches are particularly encouraged. Contributions may address a range of topics in the areas of governance, planning, knowledge management, stakeholder involvement, and human capacity building, while providing insights on how to successfully implement, monitor and/or assess the initiatives.
We look forward to receiving your proposals!
