SaciWATERs

SaciWATERs
Name	SaciWATERs
Formation	1999
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Region served	South Asia

SaciWATERs is a South Asia–focused non-profit research and advocacy body addressing water, livelihood, and environmental justice issues. Founded in 1999 and based in Bangalore, Karnataka, it engages with rural communities, policy institutions, and international networks to influence water governance, natural resource management, and socio-environmental research. Its work spans applied research, capacity building, documentation, and policy engagement across regional and global platforms.

History

SaciWATERs was established in 1999 amid debates following the 1991 economic reforms and contemporaneous policy shifts such as the 1992 Rio Conference and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, bringing together activists, scholars, and practitioners from states like Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu and linking with civil society actors from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Early collaborations connected with organizations including the International Water Management Institute, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank while engaging with movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Chipko movement. Key personalities and institutions intersecting with its early history included scholars from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indian Institute of Science, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, alongside international figures associated with United Nations agencies such as UNESCO, UNEP, and UNDP. Over subsequent decades SaciWATERs engaged in dialogues at forums like the World Water Forum, Conferences of the Parties, and regional workshops convened by the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme and SAARC.

Mission and Objectives

The stated mission centers on research, action, and policy influence related to water, livelihoods, and social equity, pursuing objectives that parallel agendas advanced by the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Health Organization on sustainable development. Core aims include documenting community knowledge linked to indigenous rights recognized under instruments like the Convention on Biological Diversity and engaging with legal frameworks such as the National Water Policy and the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act. The organization positions itself alongside civil society networks exemplified by Amnesty International, Oxfam, Greenpeace, and ActionAid in championing participatory approaches, and aligns methodological priorities with academic partners including the University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and London School of Economics.

Research and Programs

Programs encompass water governance, gender and livelihoods, climate resilience, groundwater, and urban water systems, drawing on comparative work connected to projects by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. Research outputs reference case studies from the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Godavari basins and intersect with themes explored by scholars at Columbia University, University of Oxford, Australian National University, and Stockholm Environment Institute. Program tools and methodologies reflect approaches used by the International Water Association, the World Resources Institute, and the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and they often feature collaborations with regional universities such as the University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, and University of Colombo.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The organization operates with a small core staff and a wider network of fellows, associates, and partner organizations, reflecting governance models similar to those of the Centre for Science and Environment, the Pratham Education Foundation, and the Centre for Policy Research. Funding sources have included grants and project support from agencies such as the Ford Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the European Commission, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and bilateral donors like DFID (UK), USAID, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Financial management has engaged with audit and compliance mechanisms comparable to those followed by UNICEF, Save the Children, and Médecins Sans Frontières, while oversight has been informed by advisory boards featuring academics from institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, and the National University of Singapore.

Impact and Case Studies

Impact narratives highlight contributions to groundwater regulation debates, community watershed initiatives, and gender-sensitive water policy, with case studies drawn from states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala and transboundary contexts like the Indus and Meghna systems. Documented outcomes resonate with policy shifts and court deliberations involving entities such as the Supreme Court of India, National Green Tribunal, and Central Water Commission, and they relate to initiatives piloted by municipal bodies in Bangalore and Chennai. Comparative lessons parallel interventions by organizations like the Self Employed Women’s Association, SEWA Rural, and the Aga Khan Development Network.

Partnerships and Collaborations

SaciWATERs collaborates with an extensive array of partners spanning academia, civil society, and multilateral institutions, aligning with networks like the Asian Development Research Forum, ActionAid International, the International Institute for Environment and Development, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Regional academic partners have included the University of Peradeniya, Tribhuvan University, and the University of Dhaka, while international research collaborations have connected with Princeton University, ETH Zurich, and the University of British Columbia. Sectoral partnerships extend to organizations such as WaterAid, Practical Action, IRC, and the Centre for Policy Dialogue.

Awards and Recognition

Recognition for work in grassroots research, policy engagement, and advocacy has come via acknowledgements from national and international forums, inclusion in policy review committees, and citation in reports by entities like the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. Individual staff and associates have received fellowships and awards from institutions including the Rockefeller Foundation, the Humboldt Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the British Academy, and have participated in panels at venues such as the World Water Week, Stockholm Water Prize events, and the Global Water Partnership.

Category:Environmental organizations based in India