On 25 September, the VIII Kafirnigan Basin Women’s Forum brought together representatives of government institutions, academia, the private sector, civil society and international partners in Dushanbe.
The Forum focused on practical ways to strengthen sustainable water resources management while promoting women’s leadership and participation in the water sector.
Throughout 2026, participants took these discussions into the field through the ‘September Field Sprint’. Working directly with local communities, they addressed drinking water and sanitation issues, supported women farmers in adopting water-saving technologies, monitored groundwater resources, and explored glacier melt and the formation of meltwater.
The Forum also delivered a number of concrete outcomes. Participants adopted a Final Resolution and a Message to the Kafirnigan Basin Council, proposed establishing five small technical working groups to maintain cooperation with relevant institutions and partners, and explored ‘green’ microfinance mechanisms to support drip irrigation and other water-efficient technologies.
Particular attention was given to water stewardship and the protection of the basin’s most vulnerable water areas.
The VIII Kafirnigan Basin Women’s Forum demonstrated that women’s and local communities’ participation in water governance can go far beyond dialogue. It can help turn shared challenges into practical initiatives, stronger partnerships and solutions for a more climate-resilient and sustainable Kafirnigan Basin.
