New contribution to climate resilience, humanitarian response & water diplomacy

At the Meeting of the Parties of the Protocol on Water and Health (Budapest, 6 Nov 2025), the Geneva Water Hub convened its first side-event on strengthening climate resilience of WASH and health services in humanitarian and disaster settings.

Led by Mara Tignino, the session gathered technical agencies, governments and humanitarian actors around a key question: how can legal and governance frameworks protect water services when crises intensify? 

What shifted 
• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe & World Health Organization asked the Geneva Water Hub to integrate a humanitarian and conflict-sensitive lens into future Protocol discussions.
• North Macedonia & Uzbekistan announced accession to the Protocol. 
• Follow-up pathway launched with EU, Finland & Baltic States to integrate humanitarian dimensions.

Geneva Water Hub’s contribution 
• Alignment between Protocol language & International Humanitarian Law on protecting water infrastructure.
• Promotion of national targets to operationalise the human rights to water and sanitation.
• Evidence from conflict-affected contexts (incl. weaponisation of water in Ukraine). 

Why it matters 
• Stronger guidance for countries to safeguard WASH systems during climate shocks & armed conflict.
• International Geneva directly influences multilateral policy change.

Outcome harvested
Because the Geneva Water Hub convened this discussion, UN bodies and Member States requested that this expertise be embedded into future Protocol work, reinforcing Switzerland’s positioning where water, health, humanitarian law & diplomacy intersect.

The Geneva Water Hub will continue working with UNECE & the Protocol’s secretariat on next steps.