The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is UNESCO’s intergovernmental scientific cooperation program on water. It was created in 1975, becoming the first and only intergovernmental freshwater initiative institutionalized in the UN system. IHP is governed by an Intergovernmental Council, which constitutes a subsidiary body of UNESCO’s General Conference. IHP is implemented in phases developed through a comprehensive consultative process with its 168 IHP National Committees, international scientific associations and other UN bodies, ensuring IHP’s continuous relevance and its overall institutional coordination.
UNESCO‐IHE Institute for Water Education, located in Delft, The Netherlands, is formally part of UNESCO since 2003. The Institute has enhanced the capacities of 14,500 water professionals from over 160 countries. Based on the decisions of the governing boards of UNESCO, the Institute may expand its service to Member States, notably in connection with universities.
The World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), located in Perugia, Italy, is a UNESCO programme that produces the periodic World Water Development Reports (WWDR) through UN‐Water. UN-Water brings together 30 UN agencies. WWAP produces the World Water Development Report on an annual basis, and on specific topics (e.g. Water and Energy), with a five‐year global synthesis report.
The network of established water‐related centres under the auspices of UNESCO (category 2 institutes and centres) contributes to the implementation of the IHP at the international and regional level.
The water‐related UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN networks promote intellectual cooperation through twinning and other linking arrangements among institutions and academics to foster access to and sharing of knowledge.