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Our IHP-HELP Centre Objectives and Functions

UNESCO Resolution: Article 3 Objectives and Functions

1. The objectives of the IHP-HELP Centre are:

(a) to provide a facility that promotes an interdisciplinary approach to addressing global water issues with a focus on poverty reduction and international development issues (including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals related to water), and, including water law (international, national and transnational water law) as an essential and integral element thereof;
(b) to provide the intellectual leadership necessary in achieving this approach and to establish a dedicated institution for the dissemination of relevant research and scholarship on the topic, available to the global water-concerned community worldwide and aimed at generating goodwill with the international community;
(c) to communicate legal expertise on global water issues for the HELP Programme of the UNESCO IHP, especially through the IHP-HELP Regional Coordinating Units, as well as to support the other water-related activities of IHP.
(d) to act as the Regional Coordinating Unit for the European HELP Basins and proactively interact with other HELP Regional Coordinating Units.

2. The functions of the IHP-HELP Centre shall be to:

(a) design, develop and deliver educational and training activities related to its interdisciplinary approach to water-resources management, with a particular focus on poverty reduction and international development, including assisting States to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals related to water;
(b) convene interdisciplinary scientific symposia and conferences at regional and international levels, as well as training workshops, with a particular focus on interfacing water law, policy and science and to developing capacity within nation-states worldwide;
(c) provide a focal point for HELP basins worldwide on issues related to water law and the interface between water law, policy and science issues;
(d) endeavour to establish the Tweed Basin (Scotland) as a HELP basin for research and training within the IHP-HELP Centre’s mandate of providing an interface between hydrological research and water policy and law; and act as liaison with related UK-based research programmes, such as CHASM-HELP (Catchment Hydrology and Sustainable Management), SNIFFER (Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research), RELU (Rural Economy and Land Use Programme);
(e) develop new approaches to water resources management incorporating water law, policy and science as integrated components to address global water problems, with efforts also to support the development of a new generation of water leaders at the national level worldwide, familiar with the IHP-HELP Centre approach;
(f) provide a forum for think-tank meetings on water-related topics;
(g) provide expert input as required by UNESCO IHP; and
(h) collaborate proactively with other UNESCO HELP Regional Coordinating Units and IHP Water Centres.

3. The IHP-HELP Centre shall pursue the above objectives and functions in close coordination with UNESCO IHP, and in particular, the IHP-HELP Programme.

4. The IHP-HELP Centre shall carry out the above functions to the extent to which resources and international support can be mobilized.
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