BRIDGE Programme Grants: Gender Mainstreaming and Women Leadership – International Union for Conservation of Nature

Report on the BRIDGE Programme’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Programme Overview and Alignment with SDG 6 and SDG 16

The Building River Dialogue and Governance (BRIDGE) programme, an initiative led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has accumulated over a decade of experience across more than twenty transboundary river basins worldwide. The programme’s core mission is to enhance water diplomacy by strengthening governance capacities. This directly supports the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): BRIDGE aims to catalyse the sustainable management of shared water resources, directly addressing Target 6.5, which calls for the implementation of integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation.
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): By fostering dialogue and building governance frameworks, the programme promotes peaceful cooperation across borders, contributing to the goal of building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.
• SDG 15 (Life on Land): A key objective is the conservation of biodiversity and the restoration of freshwater ecosystems, aligning with Target 15.1.

Fostering Inclusive Governance for SDG 5

Inclusive governance is a foundational principle of the BRIDGE approach. The programme recognizes that incorporating diverse perspectives, particularly those of women, is crucial for strengthening institutions and ensuring the long-term sustainability of cooperative agreements. However, persistent gender imbalances in water management institutions prevent the full realization of these benefits.

• Advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The programme identifies the empowerment of women and the strengthening of their participation and leadership in transboundary water cooperation as essential for achieving fair, resilient, and effective water governance. This directly addresses Target 5.5, which aims to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.

The BRIDGE Gender Grants Initiative: A Targeted Intervention

To accelerate progress, BRIDGE Phase 5 is implementing a dedicated on-granting programme focused on advancing gender mainstreaming and women’s leadership. The BRIDGE Gender Grants are designed as a strategic intervention to overcome systemic barriers to gender equality in transboundary water governance.

Purpose of the Grants:

1. To support practical actions that strengthen inclusive institutions, directly contributing to SDG 16.
2. To promote women-led solutions for managing and restoring freshwater ecosystems, thereby advancing both SDG 5 and SDG 15.

This initiative will make two types of small grants available, targeting shared basins where BRIDGE is active in Africa, Asia, and South America. This targeted, partnership-based approach reinforces the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The article’s core focus is on the sustainable management of shared water resources, water security, and governance of transboundary river basins, which directly aligns with ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality – A significant portion of the article is dedicated to addressing gender imbalances in water management, empowering women, and promoting their leadership and participation in transboundary water cooperation.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The article mentions the programme’s aims to “conserve biodiversity” and support actions for “managing and restoring freshwater ecosystems,” which are key components of protecting terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The BRIDGE programme supports “water diplomacy,” aims to “promote peaceful cooperation across borders,” and focuses on strengthening “inclusive institutions” and “governance capacities,” all of which contribute to building peaceful and inclusive societies with effective institutions.

2. Specific Targets Identified

1. Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate.
   • Explanation: The article explicitly states that the BRIDGE programme operates in “over twenty transboundary river basins worldwide” and aims to catalyse “sustainable management and development of shared water resources” and promote “cooperation across borders.” This directly addresses the implementation of integrated water management through transboundary cooperation.
2. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
   • Explanation: The article highlights “persistent gender imbalances in water management institutions” and states that a key goal is “Empowering women and strengthening their participation and leadership in transboundary water cooperation.” The creation of “BRIDGE Gender Grants” is a practical action to achieve this target within the water governance sector.
3. Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services…
   • Explanation: The programme’s objectives include to “conserve biodiversity” and the grants will support “managing and restoring freshwater ecosystems.” This aligns with the goal of conserving and restoring inland freshwater ecosystems.
4. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
   • Explanation: The article emphasizes that “Inclusive governance is at the heart of BRIDGE’s approach” and that “Diverse voices and perspectives — including those of women — enrich water governance.” The entire initiative is built on strengthening governance and making it more inclusive and participatory.

3. Mentioned or Implied Indicators

1. Indicator 6.5.2: Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation.
   • Explanation: The article’s focus on “Building River Dialogue and Governance (BRIDGE)” and ensuring the “long-term sustainability of agreements and cooperation” directly implies working towards establishing and strengthening operational arrangements for water cooperation in the transboundary basins where it is active.
2. Implied Indicator for Target 5.5: Proportion of women in leadership and decision-making positions within transboundary water management institutions.
   • Explanation: While not explicitly stated as a formal indicator, the article’s goal to “advance gender mainstreaming and women’s leadership” and address “gender imbalances in water management institutions” implies that a key measure of success would be an increase in the number and influence of women in these specific bodies.
3. Implied Indicator for Target 15.1: The health and protection status of freshwater ecosystems in shared basins.
   • Explanation: The article mentions grants for “managing and restoring freshwater ecosystems.” Progress towards this would be measured by the ecological health, biodiversity levels, and restoration success within these specific ecosystems, which serves as a practical indicator of conservation and restoration efforts.
4. Implied Indicator for Target 16.7: The existence and effectiveness of inclusive and participatory mechanisms in transboundary water governance.
   • Explanation: The article’s emphasis on “Inclusive governance” and including “Diverse voices and perspectives” suggests that progress would be measured by the establishment and functioning of governance structures that actively include various stakeholders, particularly women, in the decision-making process.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

4. Table of Findings

Source: iucn.org