Global Water Operators Partnerships Alliance Secretariat In Barcelona (Gwopa)

GWOPA addresses capacity as the pivotal challenge, with the understanding that capacity development can support governance improvements and access to finance. As recommended by the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation and upon request of the former Secretary General, GWOPA is promoting the use of Water Operators' Partnerships (WOPs) to help water operators transfer their knowledge to their peers in order to raise their overall level of performance, for the betterment of the poor.  WOPs are based on the observation that capacity building and retention, facilitated by networking and mentoring, can equip operators to meet the challenges facing the sector. It also draws on the fact that much of the innovation and expertise to address water operators' challenges reside with operators themselves, and that a growing number of these successful operators are highly motivated to share their expertise and innovation with others as “mentors” on a not-for-profit basis. The purpose of this programme is to strengthen the capacity of water and sanitation operators to play their full roles in providing sustainable, universal access. GWOPA's work is supporting the realization of the Millennium Development Goal Target 7 and the UN General Assembly 2010 Declaration on the Right to Water.