Facilitating exchanges of experiences and best practices between Armenia, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova on equitable access to safe drinking water in the frame of the UNECE/WHO Protocol on Water and Health

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The EaP CSF Secretariat-funded project entitled “Facilitating exchanges of experiences and best practices between Armenia, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova on equitable access to safe drinking water in frame of UNECE/WHO Protocol on Water and Health” was jointly implemented by the environmental organizations “Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE) NGO (lead organization), Armenia, “Dniester River Keepers – Eco-TIRAS-Moldova” and “International Center for Environmental Research” (IFCER), Georgia. Moldova is party to the Protocol and has Association Agreement with the European Union, Georgia is not a party to the Protocol and has an Association Agreement with the European Union, and Armenia is not a party to the Protocol and has a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with European Union.

The aim of the project was to strengthen the regional dimension and cooperation by collecting and disseminating information and sharing experiences in ensuring equitable access to water supply and sanitation in the 3 EaP countries (Armenia, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova) in the frame of the UNECE/WHO Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

The project contributed to greater stakeholder engagement (NGOs, local communities, women’s groups, etc.) in promoting equitable access to safe drinking water for the rural communities, by raising awareness about the right to safe drinking water, including women. The project conducted a case study, and community-based activities and produced recommendations for relevant decision-makers, focusing on rural settlements with access to drinking water either via mobile cisterns/tanks (Armenia) or via well water (Moldova and Georgia), i.e. no centralized drinking water infrastructure exist. Thus, the project contributed to strengthening of confidence of the civil society actors in the countries with various contexts.

Within the framework of the project a meeting entitled “Implementation of the UNECE/WHO Protocol on Water and Health in Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova” was organized on October 25, 2023, at the Mozart Hall of Yerevan’s Opera Suite Hotel. The meeting brought together participants representing Armenian state and local self-government bodies, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, civil society organizations, the media, and delegates from Moldova and Georgia, representing the aforementioned organizations.

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