Food-Energy-Ecosystem Nexus, Climate Change, Water and Finance, Water-Employment-Migration Nexus and Sanitation-Hygiene Task Forces were formed as a result of the Ministerial Declaration with the theme of “Water” as agreed by Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in 2017.
The 4th meeting of Water-Employment-Migration Task Force and the 2nd Laboratory Workshop of Water-Employment-Migration in Mediterranean were held in Istanbul between 10-20 November 2019 under the co-chairmanship of Turkey and Italy.
In the meeting and workshop carried out under the co-chairmanship of SUEN on behalf of Turkey, studies were made based on the relations among water, migration and employment related to projects that can be implemented to prevent migration in migration-source countries, vocational education of -especially- women and the youth who constitute the majority of the population, productive usage of water resoures, R&D on alternative water resources, to prevent the pressure on natural resources and work force in host and/or transit countries which may rise with the population movements.
International organizations, government agencies and NGO’s work under the umbrella of Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Water-Employment-Migration Task Force, develop international/local projects concerning migration problems that occur in the Mediterranean region to share the increasing burden of host/transit countries and to minimize emigration in relevant countries. As development of water resources, construction of wastewater treatment facilities, renewal/construction of water supply networks, implementation of non-conventional water resources (e.g. esalination, water harvesting, reuse of wastewater) will address water problems, these on the other hand will create major employment opportunities in the sector.