First Ever Youth Seat on the GWP Steering Committee

Youth Leadership Not Yet With Formal Voting Rights

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is an international network created to foster an integrated approach to water resources management and to provide practical advice for sustainably managing water resources. GWP is led by its Steering Committee acting as a Board of Directors and meeting twice a year. Gender and regional balance on the Committee, and throughout the Partnership, is given high priority.

Despite GWPs commitments to youth in their Youth Engagement Strategy, the inclusion of youth on the Steering Committee had not been well accounted for. Youth stakeholders were represented on the GWP Steering Committee only as an Observer status given no formal voting right.

Advising for a Permanent Youth Seat to the GWP Steering Committee

As the former, and last, youth observing GWP Steering Committee member, Lindsey Blodgett proposed to the Steering Committee that a formal youth seat to the committee be formed. The proposal was unanimously accepted by the Steering Committee. Lindsey helped advise the GWP staff to draft a formal youth seat on the Steering Committee position description. The position requirements had to account for the high caliber and experience expected from a GWP Steering Committee Member whilst also accounting for the age requirement of a youth (maximum age of 32 at the first GWP Steering Committee Meeting) and demonstrated global youth leadership.

The First Ever Youth Seat on the GWP Steering Committee

The global GWP Steering Committee, at its meeting in December 2019, decided to formally adopt the permanent independent youth seat on the Committee. This established the first ever Youth Seat on the GWP Steering Committee. Currently, the young GWP Steering Committee member is leading strong and has even taken on the role of Vice-Chair to the current committee. This is evidence to the global water sector that youth leadership is vital and strong, but simply needs space to be created for.