On March 12, 2025, The Women in Water Diplomacy Network (WWDN) and its partners hosted a special online event in recognition of International Women’s Day 2025. The event served as a platform to introduce the Network’s newly established Global Leadership Council and engage the global Network community in a discussion on women-led water diplomacy. The event also highlighted the Network’s expansion and impact since its inception in the Nile Basin in 2017, now spanning Central Asia-Afghanistan, North America, the South Caucasus, Southern Africa, and beyond. The live online session was attended by more than one hundred Network members including representatives from governmental water agencies, international organizations, academia, and civil society. The session provided a dynamic exchange of insights on women’s leadership in water diplomacy and put focus on new opportunities for engagement in the Network’s ongoing initiatives. Participating speakers spoke to key challenges and opportunities covering a range of intersectional issues including gender inclusion, Indigenous knowledge systems, intergenerational mentorship, and global water diplomacy challenges, with many also sharing reflections on their personal and professional journeys within the water sector.
