This session will explore how water can become a powerful entry point for conflict prevention, transformation, trust-building, and long-term resilience across the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus.

Drawing from community-level action through Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies and water for peace diplomacy initiatives led by the Geneva Water Hub, the session will present practical strategies, tools, and field experiences that leverage water as a catalyst for peace. It will spotlight work from countries such as Iran, Yemen, Jordan, and Mauritania, where community engagement, anticipatory action, and equitable water governance are contributing to the prevention of violence and the strengthening of social cohesion.

While IFRC focuses on intrastate dynamics, especially at the household and community level, through its KOICA-supported water-for-peace initiative in Africa and beyond, the Geneva Water Hub as part of the SDC-supported Blue Peace Movement, complements this approach by addressing broader systemic risks, including transboundary water cooperation and the protection of water infrastructure under international humanitarian law. Both perspectives converge on a shared vision: water as a foundation for dignity, stability, justice, and sustainable development.

Session Objectives

• Showcase new thinking and operational approaches from both humanitarian and diplomatic perspectives on how water can be used to foster peace, at the household, community, national, and regional as well as global levels.
• Present replicable, community-driven models (such as IFRC’s KOICA-supported initiative) that integrate water resilience, climate adaptation, and conflict prevention.
• Introduce policy tools and legal frameworks championed by the Geneva Water Hub to promote equitable water sharing and protect water from armed conflict, offering guidance to diplomats, governments, and donors.
• Foster cross-sector dialogue, offering a platform for actors from humanitarian, development, academic, and governmental sectors to align efforts around water and peace.