GWOPA Secretariat is pleased to invite contributions from members of the Global Water Operators' Partnership Alliance to showcase how water and sanitation operators around the world are advancing care-centred infrastructure and services.
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) has invited GWOPA to contribute to the second phase of their GOLD VII Report on Economies of Equality and Care. This stage of the process focuses on the question:
What infrastructure is needed to build caring cities and regions? Here, infrastructure refers not only to hard systems but also to the services and institutional practices that support inclusive and equitable societies.
UCLG’s Global Observatory on Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD) aims to:
- Share information on local democracy and decentralisation worldwide, highlighting progress and setbacks
- Elevate the voices of UCLG members in global policy debates
- Foster dialogue and partnerships among local authorities, national governments, international institutions, academia, the private sector and other stakeholders
Further information on the GOLD reports can be found here: About GOLD Reports GOLD VII Process
GWOPA’s institutional members are encouraged to contribute to the report in either or both of the following ways:
1. Submit a short story (max. 350 words)
Share a compelling example or anecdote that illustrates how your utility has provided care to its customers or communities. Stories may touch on themes such as (but not limited to):
Climate resilience
- Gender equity
- Inequality
- Human rights
- Universal access
- Technology and innovation
- Emergencies and disasters
- Public health
- Disability inclusion
These are only suggestions — creative approaches and alternative themes are welcome. Please include at least one high-quality photo to accompany the story.
2. Submit a quote
Share a short quote from your utility’s representative reflecting on what care means in the context of water and sanitation service provision. Please include:
The quote (1–2 sentences)
- Name and title of the person quoted
- A high-resolution photo of the speaker: minimum: 300 dots per inch (DPI), 300 pixels per inch (PPI) , JPEG, PNG or TIFF, good lighting, plain background (white, light gray, or neutral tones), file size 1-5 MB
The GWOPA Secretariat will compile the selected contributions into a photo story to be submitted to UCLG. We plan to also showcase the materials at the 6th Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Congress in Bonn in October.
Deadline for your contributions: Monday, 18 August 2025 by submitting to Shobana Srinivasan (shobana.srinavasan@un.org) with copy to unhabitat-gwopa@un.org.