At World Water Week 2024, the Water Youth Network (WYN) had a great opportunity to represent young voices in water governance. On August 29, WYN took part in the session “Countries and Partners Step Up Collaboration Towards Resilient Agrifood Systems,” which focused on the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG).

Rachana Mattur from WYN spoke about how WYN aims to support countries in tackling water scarcity by pushing for more youth involvement in water management, facilitating knowledge sharing, and advocating for policies that include youth perspectives. She highlighted three key areas WYN focuses on:

• Youth Engagement: WYN ensures young people are involved in decision-making processes, advocating for them to be active participants, not just observers.
• Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building: Through workshops and webinars, WYN helps young professionals and communities gain the skills they need to address water issues.
• Research and Policy Advocacy: WYN supports research on water scarcity and works to push policies that include youth in the conversation.

Rachana also encouraged WASAG to set up a mentorship program to further engage young professionals. WYN is excited to continue collaborating with partners to enhance youth participation in tackling water issues.

This session featured notable figures like Christopher Neale from the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, Heba Al Hariry from the FAO, and Rachana Mattur from WYN​.