Effective water governance relies on appropriate laws and institutions—national, provincial and local—that require water to be managed in accordance with the principles of integrated water resource management. National laws and policies that identify the roles, responsibilities, and accountability of public and private sector actors provide the water management framework (GWP 2009a). National water laws and policies establish the rules governing the use of water resources and delineate decision making powers of stakeholders involved in, or affected by, water management.
Children in the basin often have to go long distances to the next source of drinking water.
Source: Tump 2006
( click to enlarge )
Harmonising the legislative frameworks of riparian countries supports one of the strategic objectives of the SADC Regional Water Strategy (SADC 2007):
“To promote the harmonisation of Member State’s national water policy, legislation and strategy with those of other Member States, the Regional Policy and Strategy and relevant international conventions and protocols.”
The legislative and policy frameworks, and the respective institutions responsible for water management in each of the member countries, are summarised in the following section.
