About this site

The purpose of the Mekong Water Governance resource hub is to provide structured access to published and unpublished research on water governance issues in the Mekong Region, with a particular focus on the Mekong Basin. It is based on the premise that critical thinking can be enhanced by drawing on the considerable volume of research, documented experience and action-based reflection that is available. In turn, such critical thinking will support more informed debates and decisions around water governance. The online site seeks to organise the combined work of many researchers, practitioners and policy advocates around key themes relevant to water justice, water security, and hence the well-being of those sharing water and related resources in the Mekong.

The research material on this site is mounted at three levels:

First, a selection of journal articles, reports and other materials is provided and organised thematically to assist researchers, practitioners and policy advocates to draw on one another’s work and hence build up a collective body of knowledge. This is the most “passive” presentation of the research material; our contribution is to find and select the most relevant material and to organise it into key themes. In some cases the entire article is available. In others, for copyright reasons, only an abstract or summary is available and users will need to access documents through the relevant journal or organisation.

Second, a sub-set of the articles will be progressively annotated, with overall commentary on the significance of the article and the research on which it is based, plus commentary relevant to each of the key themes addressed by the article.

Third, findings and key messages from the articles, reports and other materials under each theme are synthesised into thematic summaries. For each key theme, there is a one-page overall summary. Extended synopses will be developed progressively for each theme as part of educational outreach activities associated with the resource hub, and these will be mounted on the relevant theme pages.

Overall, we intend that this online site will contribute toward evidence-based progressive policy reform in the key area of water governance. We further hope that it will thereby contribute toward to the well-being of those who face disadvantage in making a living as a result of inequitable and often ill-considered exploitation of the Mekong region's water resources, in particular the rural poor, ethnic minorities and women.