Credit : UN Photo/Kibae Park

Despite being the most abundant resource in the world, only about 2.53% of water is freshwater usable for agriculture, human consumption and industrial purposes. Therefore, knowledge of international law governing the management of freshwater resources is indispensable. 

In order to meet the needs to develop capacities of professionals involved in negotiating or implementing treatieson or related to freshwater resources, UNITAR and the University of Geneva, through the Platform for International Water Law, with financial assistance from the Swiss Confederation through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), developed and launched an online course. Since the pilot session in February 2013, the rapidly growing number of applicants has provided the impetus for a more intensive, comprehensive and far-reaching training programme in the field.

The goal of the course is to provide relevant professionals with an advanced knowledge of the principles and norms that govern the use, sharing, management and protection of this exhaustible natural resource. 

Approaching its third edition, the e-Learning course on International Water Law has seen a record 1,219 applications received from 115 countries since its pilot session in February 2013. Of the 1,219 applications, over 82% have come from developing and least developed countries demonstrating an urgent need for training and capacity building in the field.

  Applicants for International Water Lawlevel of development of all applicants for the international water law e-learning course  

Applications for the June 2014 e-Learning course are now being accepted. The deadline for submission is 11 May 2014. Apply from our website.

"The course was very useful for me. As a professional from Natural Resource Management, the course gave me the legal aspect of water resource management.”  -Participant

UNITAR’s interactive e-Learning platform is designed to develop the learning capacity of its participants. With facilitated and instructor-led comprehensive course, participants are aided in their academic and professional development. With a proven dedication to providing exceptional training, UNITAR’s e-Course on International Water Law has been awarded the ECB Check Certification for eLearning Programme Quality.

“I really enjoyed the course, I had undertaken other online courses and this one was very different in that it was more interactive and it kept you involved throughout all the modules. I enjoyed it personally and it was certainly useful professionally.”  -Participant

Based on the positive feedback provided by participants, UNITAR and the University of Geneva constantly seek ways to imrove the quality of the course and to adapt its content to meet the needs of the participants. 

"This course was extremely useful to me and has already assisted in building capacity in my organization as my perspective has been enhanced in relation to global practice on freshwater management.”  -Participant

Credit : UN Photo/Kibae Park

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