Thematic Component

In order to create a purposeful and inclusive policy-oriented dialogue between stakeholders and to focus discussions from an early start on issues related to the Main Theme of the 4th World Water Forum, Local Actions for a Global Challenge, the organizers, in consultation with a host of key international, national and local water organizations, designed a thematic content for the Forum that served as a framework for dialogue and deliberation throughout the Preparatory Process and the Forum in Mexico.

Consequently, the thematic content assembles and circumscribes some of the most important challenges and problems faced by the global water polity (represented by the 5 Framework Themes) and also includes some of the processes and factors that have been considered by many to affect the unfolding of local actions worldwide (represented by the 5 Cross-cutting Perspectives).

Framework Themes

   1. Water for Growth and Development >>
   2. Implementing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) >>
   3. Water Supply and Sanitation for All >>
   4. Water Management for Food and the Environment >>
   5. Risk Management >>

Cross-Cutting Perspectives

The Framework Themes of the Forum will be analyzed from the following five Cross-cutting Perspectives, which represent different factors directly influencing the feasibility of local actions.

   A. New Models for Financing Local Water Initiatives >>
   B. Institutional Development and Political Processes >>
   C. Capacity-building and Social Learning >>
   D. Application of Science, Technology and Knowledge >>
   E. Targeting, Monitoring and Implementation Assessment >>

The Thematic Matrix

The Framework Themes and the Cross-cutting Perspectives together compose a Thematic Matrix. The purpose for having the Thematic Matrix was for stakeholder-participants interested in participating in the Preparatory Process and the Forum in Mexico to locate their specific interests, fields of expertise, agendas, etc. within it and in this manner proceed to direct their efforts and contributions to the Forum.

See the matrix

The matrix is helpful to begin to imagine which type of Topic-Sessions could be composed for the Forum in Mexico. A Topic-Session, for example, could be about issues related to capacity building for Implementing IWRM or some aspects related to targeting, monitoring and assessment in matters concerning Risk Management, etc.