Water law and governance in post-conflict settings

In the aftermath of conflict, managing water is critical, as access to water and sanitation is necessary for meeting basic human needs, restoring livelihoods, ensuring food security, rebuilding the economy and promoting reconciliation. This article argues that governance is critical for meeting the challenges in the water sector in post-conflict settings, not just for restoring livelihoods and basic human wellbeing, but also for supporting sustainable development and addressing emerging challenges such as the increasing prevalence of droughts and floods that threaten to erase many of the peace dividends that water may provide at war's end. This article examines water and water law through the lens of State fragility, conflict and governance to shed light on the importance of building resilient and flexible water governance institutions that can withstand what is often a precarious peacebuilding process in which conflict may continue even after a peace agreement is reached.