Expert Groups and Task Forces

UN-Water’s Expert Groups and Task Forces bring together experts to drive progress on a certain theme or towards a specific goal.

Expert Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Shares information on 2030 Agenda related developments of UN-Water interest. Advises on the strategic scope of UN-Water’s engagement in the 2030 Agenda and prepares proposals and plans for coordinated interventions among UN Water’s Members and Partners.

• Technical paper on the SDGs
• Technical advice concept note: Addressing Global Water Challenges and Accelerating Progress on SDG 6 at the Country Level
• Water and sanitation interlinkages across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Input paper for the post-2020 Biodiversity Framework
• Terms of References
• Membership list

Expert Group on Drinking-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Support the implementation of the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework. Support coordination and exchange of information between UN-Water Members and Partners on their activities with regards to WASH. Support the work related to the human rights to water and sanitation.

• Terms of References
• Membership list

Expert Group on Regional Level Coordination

Provides an open platform for the exchange of experiences and lessons learned from implementing regional-level work on water.

• Terms of References
• Membership list
• Workplan
• Learn more about the work of the Expert Group on Regional Level Coordination

Expert Group on Transboundary Waters

Coordinates substantive inputs to policy processes related to transboundary waters (surface water and groundwater). Coordinates promotion, awareness-raising, and outreach efforts supporting transboundary water cooperation.

• The United Nations global water conventions: Fostering sustainable development and peace
• Terms of References
• Membership list
• Workplan

Expert Group on Water and Climate Change

Supports cooperation and coordination of efforts and messages of UN-Water members and partners on water and climate. Contributes to raising the awareness on the importance of water in climate change adaptation and mitigation and vice versa as well as knowledge on good adaptation practices. 

• UN-Water Policy Brief on Climate Change and Water
• COP 26 event
• Terms of References
• Membership list
• Workplan

Expert Group on Water Quality and Wastewater

Addresses topical questions under consideration by UN-Water as they arise in a virtual way and share the latest state of information and member expertise. Responds to emerging needs for information.

• Terms of References

Expert Group on Water Scarcity

Coordinates collaboration between UN-Water members and partners to make effective use of available resources and expertise in addressing the growing imbalance between “supply” and “demand” of water. Increases political prioritization of water scarcity through policy debate to accelerate progress towards the achievement of SDG 6.

• UN-Water analytical brief Water-use efficiency
• Terms of References

Task Force on Country Level Engagement

Evaluates how UN-Water might add value to the country level in view of the UN reform process, also building on previous findings of the former UN-Water Task Force on Country-level Coordination.

• UN-Water’s offer to UN Country Teams and Resident Coordinators
• Terms of References
• Membership list
• Workplan

Task Force on Water Action Decade Implementation

Coordinates the activities of UN-Water Members and Partners in support of the Decade implementation. Facilitates information sharing between Member States, United Nations and other stakeholders, including through reports and Decade website.

• UN Secretary-General’s plan: Water Action Decade 2018-2028
• UN 2023 Water Conference – Proposals on the themes for the interactive dialogues
• Terms of References
• Membership list

Get in touch to learn more: unwater@un.org mentioning [Expert Groups and Task Forces] in the subject heading.

Expert Groups (EGs), each focusing on a cross-cutting issue in need of coordination, are established by the Senior Programme Managers (SPMs) and gather technical experts from across the UN family and other international organizations. As such, they represent the UN’s collective expertise on the given issue. Expert Groups also provide a platform to exchange information, knowledge and experience, to cross-fertilize activities of individual agencies and to avoid duplication. Expert Groups form a core activity of UN-Water’s effort to increase cooperation and coherence within the United Nations system.

UN-Water activities are also carried out through Task Forces (TFs) established by the SPMs in order to draw on the varied expertise of the United Nations system and of UN-Water Partners. Task Forces are time-bound in nature and focus inter-agency collaboration on the delivery of a specific product (e.g. a report or an event). Therefore, Task Forces automatically end at the completion of their task. Task Forces form a core activity of UN-Water’s effort to increase cooperation and coherence within the United Nations system.