Geneva Peace Week - Water under Fire: Building peace through water services in protracted crises

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9:00 to 10:15
Palais des Nations, Room IX

 

Impact

Explore the outstanding photo essay developed by UNICEF Ukraine "Water Under Fire - In armed conflicts damage of critical water infrastructure endangers the lives of millions of people every day".

The pictures of the event are available below.

The Geneva Water Hub, UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva are pleased to invite you to attend a panel discussion on “Water under Fire: Building peace through water services in protracted crises" in the context of the Geneva Peace Week.

The objective of the Panel Discussion is to determine how water can be used to advance the peace agenda, and what actions States, regional and international organizations, and other critical partners can take to prevent conflict, build peace and protect the rights to water, sanitation, and health in protracted crisis. This has recently been articulated through UNICEF’s flagship publication “Water under Fire: Emergencies, development and peace in fragile and conflict-affected contexts” and the “Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure”.

*Mandatory double registration required:

  • via the UNOG registration system – INDICO
  • via Eventbrite (to attend the event). Please note that your registration information will also be shared with the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (the key Facilitator of Geneva Peace Week) for the purpose of compiling anonymous statistics on event attendance.

Speakers include:

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Mr Omar El Hattab

Regional WASH Advisor

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office

Mr El Hatab is currently holding the position of Regional Advisor, WASH with UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office.

With over 25 years of experience in the WASH sector, Omar is currently holding the position of Regional Advisor, WASH with UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office and, hence, responsible for a portfolio including over 10 countries including Yemen, Syria, Iraq and others. Omar served as Chief WASH with UNICEF in several duty stations including Syria (2015-2016), Tanzania (2011-2013), and Pakistan (2009-2011). His track record also includes holding the position of Technical Advisor for the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in the timeframe 2013-2015. Moreover, he headed the implementation unit with UNDP in Iraq for 4 years in the timeframe 2005-2009. Omar started his career with the private sector where he worked for over 13 years before joining the UN. Mr El Hateb is an Egyptian national and obtained a Ph.D. degree in Engineering in 2003, a M.Sc. degree in Engineering in 1996 as well as a B.SC in Engineering in 1992 from Cairo University, Egypt.

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Ms. Maricela Muñoz

Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva

Ms. Muñoz is Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva.

She has more than 20 years of experience in multilateral diplomacy, working with governments, international organizations and agencies, as well as with the private sector and civil society organizations. Ms. Muñoz has held senior positions at: U.S.AID, The Nature Conservancy, Avina Foundation, the U.S. State Department, and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica, among others. Ms. Muñoz is particularly interested in areas such as: disarmament, non-proliferation, global peace and security, frontier technologies and artificial intelligence; as well as the promotion and respect for international humanitarian law, and the advancement of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. She holds a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Banking and Finance, from the University of Costa Rica, and completed an Executive Leadership Program from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

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Dr Mara Tignino

Reader and Lead Legal Specialist, Platform for International Water Law/Geneva Water Hub

Mrs Mara Tignino is Reader at the Faculty of Law and the Institute for Environmental Sciences at the University of Geneva. She is also the Lead Legal Specialist of the Platform for International Water Law at the Geneva Water Hub.

She acts as an expert and legal adviser for States and international organizations and has given training workshops in Africa, Asia, Middle East and South America. In 2017, she was awarded with the prize "Women Peacebuilders for Water" from the Milano Center for Food Law and Policy. She is co-chair of the Interest Group on Water of the Environmental Peacebuilding Association and member of the Coordinating Committee of the Interest Group on Business and Human Rights of the European Society of International Law (ESIL). She holds a Ph.D. in international law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and the Habilitation à diriger des recherches (HDR) from the Faculty of Law of the University Jean Moulin Lyon 3.

The event poster is available below.