#12

INPIM Electronic Newsletter # 12

February 19, 2002

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Register soon for the Sixth International Seminar on participatory Irrigation Management April 21-27, Beijing China
2. The Legal Pluralism Congress April 7 -10, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
3. TPN 4 - Water Resources Management for Agriculture in Arid, Semi-arid and sub-Humid lands, 29 April - 3 May 2002 in Damascus, Syria.
4. Participation for Global Action & Change: Connecting practitioners, communities, networks, and organizations, July 29-August 2, 2002, University of Guelph, Canada.
5. Global Water partnership releases the Integrated Water Resource Management ToolBox at the Freshwater Conference in Bonn, Germany.

1. Sixth International Seminar on Participatory Irrigation Management, April 21-26, Beijing, China.

INPIM is accepting registrations for the sixth international seminar in Beijing, China from April 21-26, 2002. So far, we have participants from over 20 countries. The seminar provides an excellent forum for exchange of ideas. The sixth international seminar will focus on the theme of " Institutional Options for User Participation in Irrigation and Drainage". Participants would also have a chance to witness how Chinese provinces are establishing Self-Financing Irrigation and Drainage Districts' (SIDDS) for sustainable water management. Arrangements for the sixth international seminar are in full swing. Download an application form from the INPIM website http://www.inpim.org and fax it right away to +1 202 318 0215. You may also send in an email to info@inpim.org or coordinator@inpim.org or rpeter@inpim.org.

2. The Legal Pluralism Congress April 7 -10, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The Congress on Legal pluralism and the Course on Legal Pluralism will be held in Suan Bua Resort in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Regional Centre for Social Sciences and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Social Science, Chiang Mai University, Thailand will host the congress and course on legal pluralism.

The Congress will address a number of related themes in which legal pluralism and local unofficial law affect social, economic and political development. Local populations, non-governmental and governmental agencies alike are faced with immense challenges posed by the plurality of laws and institutions. Besides local forms of traditional and neo-traditional law and the diverse regulations of governments at different levels of administration, religious laws (Islamic and Hindu law in particular) also play an important role in the organization and legitimating governance, of social and economic relationships, and the administration of justice

The Congress invites participants from various academic backgrounds, such as law, anthropology, sociology, development studies and gender studies. Practitioners are encouraged to contribute papers as well. For further details email Sunita at lpluralism@wlink.com.np

3. TPN 4 - Water Resources Management for Agriculture in Arid, Semi-arid and sub-Humid lands, 29 April - 3 May 2002 in Damascus, Syria.

The thematic programme network (TPN 4) on Water Resources Management for Agriculture in Arid, Semi-arid and sub-Humid Lands would be launched in Damascus, Syria from 29 April- 3 May 2002 jointly by the Syrian Government and the Secretariat for the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD. The overall objective of this theme is to promote cost effective approaches to the use of scarce water resources, to minimize further soil degradation caused by salinization, and to test methodologies for the reclamation and use of already degraded soils.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) regional network on water resources management for agriculture is to be launched within the framework of the Regional Action Programme (RAP) for Asia. At the regional level, Asian country Parties to the CCD decided that six thematic programme networks (TPNs) should constitute the core themes of the programme, and water resources management in agriculture in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas is the fourth TPN, hence TPN 4.The process was initiated by drafting a status report document on water resources management and a questionnaire that was filled in by country Parties that seek active involvement. The 14 active member countries to the regional initiative are Syria, Mongolia, India, China, Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. For further details Visit the site http://www.unccd.int/actionprogrammes/asia/regional/tpn4/menu.php

4. Participation for Global Action & Change: Connecting practitioners, communities, networks, and organizations, July 29-August 2, 2002, University of Guelph, Canada

Conference Theme: Participation for Global Action & Change Participation has its roots in social transformation based on collective reflection and action. Over the decades, participation has been seen as essential for the sustainable implementation and management of development projects. Participation is now gaining currency as a means for global action and change. In a world facing the challenges and contradictions of globalization and an increasingly crowded development agenda, it is time for us to come together in order to learn from one another's experiences, share best practices and lessons learned, and turn our collective thought and energy to the power of participation as a vehicle for social, political and economic change. This conference will be an opportunity to build a global movement in participation.

The Participatory Development (PD) Forum is pleased to invite you to explore participation for global action and change as you connect with other practitioners, communities, networks and organizations. There is a wealth of experience being accumulated by those who practice participation as a guiding principle for development engagement. This three-day conference will bring together actors, activists and shapers of the global development agenda to offer all participants the opportunity to deepen their understanding and practice of participation.

The conference is designed to enhance and facilitate mutual learning and exploration of important issues shaping our lives and the lives of those with whom we work. Connecting with one another will allow us to share insights and skills, forge linkages between and within the North and south, assess opportunities and constraints for people's participation, build our capacity to shape globalization, and influence the development agenda. For further details of the program visit http://www.pdforum.org

5. Global Water partnership releases the Integrated Water Resource Management ToolBox at the Freshwater Conference in Bonn, Germany WRM ToolBox

The Integrated water resources management (IWRM) ToolBox, launched at the Bonn conference in December 2001, draws together a wealth of experience and expertise in IWRM in one practical, user-friendly product. The ToolBox contains a wide variety of options related to three fundamental elements of IWRM; the enabling environment, institutional roles, and management instruments. To complement this information, case studies on IWRM practices from real life experiences provided by GWP partners and others are included. Brief notes providing analysis of the actions taken and the lessons learned accompany each case study. References, links and resource persons to contact for further information and advice are also there.

The ToolBox is divided into two main sections: policy Guidance and Operational Tools. The Policy Guidance section of the ToolBox addresses this by focusing on the issues faced by policy makers at the national, regional or local level. It provides a general range of workable options and appropriate combination of tools and establishing suitable supporting conditions to advance the IWRM process. In the section on operational tools, ToolBox users can access information on a range of options for putting IWRM into practice, the lessons learned from practical experience and case studies that provide information on the value of the tools that have been applied in the field. The ToolBox will continue to grow as users gain experience with it and start providing feedback on the success or failure of a particular set of actions in a given situation. The ToolBox will become an increasingly useful IWRM instrument in practice. Discussion groups and workshops both electronic and face-to-face are expected to play an important role in its future development. For details on the IWRM ToolBox please visit http://www.gwpforum.org