Founded in 1996, GWP comprises 13 independently managed Regional Water Partnerships, 77 Country Water Partnerships, and a network of over 2,800 Partners across 182 countries. A Regional Water Partnership is comprised of all GWP Partners in a region. Representatives of Partners in a region may be a member of the regional Steering Committee (or equivalent). Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs) have a special function to share knowledge and experience across national boundaries and are expected to have an open, inclusive, and gender-sensitive membership policy for bringing together as wide a group of stakeholders as possible.
RWPs often convene stakeholders to address specific issues in order to bring about solutions that are tailored to local conditions and informed by experiences and good practices from across the Network. RWPs also provide support to the implementation of activities at regional and country level as set out in work plans and budgets. RWPs govern themselves and the Regional Secretariat manages day-to-day operations. In most cases the RWP is attached to a Host Institution which administers funds and employs staff on behalf of the partnership through a Host Institution Agreement.
13 RWPs of GWP include:
GWP Caribbean
GWP Central Africa
GWP Central America
GWP Central and Eastern Europe
GWP Central Asia and Caucausus
GWP China
GWP Eastern Africa
GWP Mediterranean
GWP South America
GWP South Asia
GWP Southeast Asia
GWP Southern Africa
GWP West Africa