We are tired of being the photo at the back of the room. Put us on the technical committees where the actual budget and policy decisions are made
One of the youth delegates at the Zimbabwe water Indaba 2026
At the Zimbabwe Water Indaba 2026 in Bulawayo, young delegates called for meaningful representation on technical committees and decision-making bodies responsible for shaping water policies, budgets and investment priorities. They also urged institutions to invest in youth-led innovations and create opportunities for young people to translate their ideas into practical solutions to water challenges in their communities.
Through the Be Resilient Zimbabwe Plus (BRZ+) Project, UNESCO supported the participation of 50 young people in the forum, enabling them to engage directly with stakeholders and contribute to discussions and decisions shaping Zimbabwe’s water future.
During the youth session, participants explored key issues, including sustainable groundwater management, wastewater recovery and the use of digital technologies to monitor water resources. They advocated for meaningful youth representation on technical committees and other decision-making bodies to ensure young people have a voice in setting priorities, shaping water policies and influencing their implementation.
The session opened with a presentation by Dr Muchaneta Munamati, National Programme Specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, who highlighted UNESCO’s Youth4Water initiative and Water Youth Strategy, outlining practical approaches to strengthening meaningful youth participation in water governance and decision-making.
We firmly believe that young people must be partners in water governance, innovation and climate resilience, not merely beneficiaries,
