On November 26, 2025, an interregional seminar was held in Tashkent, bringing together women experts from Central Asia and the South Caucasus working in the field of water resources management. The participants represented relevant ministries and water management agencies, non-governmental organizations, as well as academic and research institutions.
The event was organized as part of the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and co-financed by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and was a logical continuation of the joint training on integrated water resources management and water diplomacy conducted by Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) the day before.
The seminar aimed to strengthen cooperation between women's networks in the two regions and promote gender issues in the water sector. Participants discussed the activities of regional networks within the Global Network and exchanged updates on current joint initiatives. The Blue Peace Central Asia project will establish regular interaction between the networks.
Under the guidance of international trainer Dr. Marianna Muravyova, participants learned the basics of qualitative and quantitative methods, discussed the importance of disaggregated data, and the principles of developing gender-sensitive indicators. National gender expert Nozima Malikova presented a methodology for conducting gender assessments at the local and basin levels using the example of the Uzbek part of the Zarafshan River basin, identifying key barriers and growth points for increasing women's participation in water management issues.
"The events provided valuable experience and were an important step in our professional growth. We thank the organizers for this opportunity and hope that in the future we will be able to contribute to the development of the Network as its new members. Being among such an inspiring community of women has made me even more eager to become a full-fledged member," said Aziza Burhonova, assistant in the Department of International Law at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
"The sessions were very useful and practical. I look forward to sharing the knowledge I have gained with my colleagues. I hope that the materials I received can be immediately applied in my work and used in the preparation of scientific publications," emphasized Satenik Bakunts, representative of the South Caucasus Women's Network and research fellow at the Laboratory for Fundamental Research on Climate Change and Sustainable Development at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia.
The final stage of the work was the joint development of a preliminary action plan for assessing the gender gap in a transboundary context under the guidance of the trainer. As part of the future research, participants will receive expert support and valuable experience in conducting collective research work. The main result of the joint activities of the Network members will be the publication of an analytical article.
Reference
The Blue Peace Central Asia project (2025-2029), funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), is structured around three strategic areas:
· Hydrodiplomacy: strengthening regional and bilateral policy dialogue through science-based platforms, building trust and coordination among Central Asian countries.
· Small transboundary tributaries: implementing pilot projects in small transboundary river basins to demonstrate the benefits of cooperation and open access to international financing.
· Capacity building: empowering youth, women, and media representatives through education, scholarships, and leadership programs, including the launch of a joint master's program in water diplomacy.
Gender equality and youth engagement are cross-cutting themes integrated into all BPCA activities, ensuring inclusiveness.
Additional information:
Irina Yugay - Project Manager, Acting Manager of the Water Initiatives Support Program, CAREC, wisspecialist@carececo.org