Inclusive water governanceMEKONG

More and more people are losing their livelihoods

in the Mekong region. The cause lies in the influx

of new dams and increasing water extraction for

cities, industry and agriculture. This puts extreme

pressure on the rivers, forested watersheds,

wetland systems and aquatic ecosystems many

communities rely on. Oxfam’s MEKONG WATER

GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME works with civil society,

local communities and other stakeholders

to solve this problem. The aim is to influence

decision-making, making it more inclusive for

local communities, so that water, land and natural

resources are managed more equitably and

sustainably. You can now work with Oxfam and

support this programme!

THE REGIONOxfam has operated a river basin management program in the Mekong region for over 15 years, recently expanding its work to the basins Salween and Irrawaddy in Myanmar. The Mekong basin underpins farming and fishing for many millions of people in China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Particularly the poor rely on the rivers’ resources for their food and livelihoods. More than 60 million people live in the Mekong basin; the wider Mekong region is home to more than 340 million.

The rivers and their tributaries are not just vital for agriculture and fisheries, they are also being developed and exploited for energy. Besides, the lower reaches have extensive floodplains, wetlands and delta systems – critically significant ecosystems with rich biodiversity. The Mekong river basin rates amongst the most threatened biodiversity hotspots globally.

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Mekong River Mainstream

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Mekong Watershed

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Salween Basin

3S critical environment area

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THE CHALLENGESCompeting interests in water use and management can lead to instability and inequity. For instance, the development of large-scale hydropower dams provides energy and contributes to economic growth and income. But dams disrupt river flows and affect both water quality and the transport of sediments and nutrients downstream. Also, they restrict fish migration. All this increases pressure on the natural ecosystems vulnerable communities depend on.

4 MAIN CHALLENGES

Increase in land and water grabs More and more of the land, waters and ecosystems that provide livelihoods for millions of people in the Mekong region are taken from communities in order to be exploited for energy and short-term profit. The environmental and social costs are significant.

Threats to food security The design and location of large-scale hydropower dams threaten food security. The dams block the fish migration to spawning grounds, which leads to a drop in fishery resources. Also, they reduce sedimentation, which lowers soil fertility and agricultural productivity.

Limited engagement with communitiesIt’s possible to predict the negative impacts of hydropower projects on communities that rely on rivers and their ecosystems. However, decision-makers often don’t take these impacts into account. Nor do they consult or involve communities.

Further marginalizationLarge-scale infrastructure development imposes new hardships and vulnerabilities on rural and ethnic communities already experiencing pressures on their ways of life. Women whose work underpins home and community often bear the brunt of change. These communities rely directly on (and often have a special, spiritual relationship to) their forests, land and water resources.

Photo: Nicolas Axelrod / Oxfam Australia

OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH

Global programmeThe MEKONG WATER GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME is

part of Oxfam’s global water governance programme,

which connects regional programmes in the Mekong,

Limpopo and Indus river basins. Our approach is

focused on inclusive water governance, which is

based on the following principles:

• TRANS-BOUNDARY SCALE: Sustainable solutions

for water governance and management require

an approach that goes beyond provincial and

national borders.

• INCLUSIVE DECISION-MAKING: The voices of all

users, representing all uses of water resources,

need to be heard to ensure fair decision-making.

• EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN: Women play a key

role in water use, and their empowerment is

critical for successful water governance.

• RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Not only the rights

of rural people are important, they also have

their own responsibilities in water governance.

• POWER OF THE PEOPLE: Oxfam and its partners

do not speak on behalf of local communities.

Rather, we strengthen their organisations and

build networks so that their voices are heard.

The MEKONG WATER GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME aims to increase the number of people in the region’s farming and fishing communities who have realised their rights to secure and sustainable livelihoods. In order to achieve this goal, the programme focuses on the three objectives below and pays special attention to women and young people, engaging them whenever possible.

1. STRENGTHENING NETWORKS THAT SUPPORT FARMING AND FISHING COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION The programme supports civil society networks; facilitates youth and women’s participation; and creates communication outputs to highlight civil society and community perspectives.

2. PROMOTING STANDARDS AND HOLDING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPERS ACCOUNTABLE The programme increases civil society’s understanding of key international standards, safeguards and assessment tools on hydropower projects. Also, it undertakes advocacy to ensure that actors, such as international financial and private companies, respect the rights and voices of local communities and civil society.

3. STRENGTHENING SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCEThe programme strengthens and establishes community-based natural resource management projects and alternative energy options suited to local community needs. Also, it promotes linking and learning activities to strengthen networks within and across countries.

RESULTSOxfam partners with governments and over thirty local, national and regional civil society organisations, achieving results across different scales. For example:

WE RESEARCH POLICYLike when, together with a Cambodian Government department and research institute, we discovered that new mainstream dams would reduce fish availability by 34%.

WE AMPLIFY PEOPLE’S VOICELike when thirteen young women from local communities spoke on the radio about water resources, illegal fisheries and the impact of dams on their communities.

WE SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS Like when we gave small grants to youth organizations in Myanmar, to learn about human rights. We reached 2,152 young people (1,125 women).

WE FACILITATE INCLUSIVE DECISION-MAKING Like when via an online campaign in Vietnam, the national river network enabled 1,724 people (959 women) to tell the government their thoughts on a mainstream dam.

WE MOTIVATE COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVES Like when, together with WWF Laos, we empowered communities to manage their own natural aquatic resources. 72,000 people (30,300 women) benefitted.

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WHY WORK WITH US?

HOW TO WORK WITH US?Are you interested in working with us, financially or by sharing your knowledge and networks?

Please contact:mekong-region@oxfam.org.au

And visit:www.oxfam.org.au/MekongRegion

For more information about Oxfam’s global water programme see: www.oxfamnovib.nl/water programme

Photo: Oxfam Australia | Cover photo: Nicolas Axelrod / Oxfam Australia

Oxfam’s MEKONG WATER GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME successfully engages with a large network of local civil society groups, research institutes, government departments, river basin organisations, and companies. The aim is to inform local communities about and influence decisions on water governance.

AREAS WE WORK INworking with

men and women to assure

gender equality

Supporting youth

initiatives

Sustainable livelihoods

Social and environmental

standards and safegaurds

Water Governance

Advocacy and Networking

Knowledge, research,

information and communication

Community resilience, alternative energy and

community development initiatives