The Youth Parliaments for Water are an initiative led by  Solidarity  Water Europe (SWE). It was launched in 1998 in Besse (France) during the course of a citizen manifestation for water

The aim of this innovative approach is to promote the involvement of young people in water resource management. Young people's commitment can contribute to the transparency of water resource policy, to convincing adults (teachers, scientists, elected people, technicians, engineers...) to take responsibility for the resource and to mobilising the public, particularly at local level.

The parliaments take place in watersheds at different levels: local, regional, national or cross-bordered.

Depending on the local context, each parliament address different themes regarding water uses (domestic, farming, industrial, cultural, health and hygiene, nature, etc.) The process include three steps: a preparation,  the participation and elaboration of action plans and a follow-up.

The objectives:

• Developing a culture a solidarity and cooperation
• Ecouraging youth mibilisation at a local level
• Rasing youth awareness about water issues
• Strengthening democracy and citizenship

The Latin American and Caribbean Youth Parliament for Water was held from 13 to 17 March 2006 in Mexico City, with most of the activities being organised at the Autonomous Metropolitan University of Azcapotzalco. Fifty-five participants from thirteen countries gathered for the event, thirty-four of whom were young people aged between fourteen and twenty-two. The countries officially represented were: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela, as well as special guests from Canada, France and Romania.

The theme for the Parliament and the work undertaken was My Water, Our Water
The objectives were:

• To share ideas, view points and solutions regarding water resource management at local level based on everyone's different experiences;
• To involve young people in a democratic process, offering them their own arena for active participation, and to raise their awareness as to the importance of their role as citizens;
• To offer young people an opportunity for dialogue outside the official Forum, but the results of which will be presented within that Forum;
• To build ties between organisations and individuals in the Latin American and Caribbean region with a view to creating a sustainable process of networking and exchange;
• To encourage and stimulate strategies for raising awareness and educating people about good water resource management practices, starting with initiatives suggested by the young people.

The World Youth Parliament for Water was convened in Quebec City on November 18-22, 2002. The event was part of the preparatory activities for the International Freshwater Year 2003 and brought together 80 young participants from 23 countries, between the ages of 14 and 18. It provided an opportunity for the youth to reflect on water management issues in their home countries and around the world.

• Access to water and sanitation as a fundamental human right
• Sustainability parameters: in particular, the cost of water services
• Local and national water governance
• International solidarity on water management issues

Back home, the participants gave to their national parliament the Water Act written by themselves and adopted  during a formal session at the National Assembly of Quebec.

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