The MENA region is the area of the world most acutely affected by water scarcity. UNICEF views partnerships and engagements with the business sector as being a crucial component in the response to the crisis and has commissioned ECOPER to conduct a ‘Study on private sector engagements and partnerships to support response to the climate crisis with a focus on water scarcity’. The study will focus on Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan and Tunisia.
The research will identify businesses, business sectors and multi-stakeholder platforms which may provide strategic opportunities for UNICEF to establish partnerships with the private sector or engage with it in ways which address water scarcity and its impact on children. First, a mapping exercise of businesses and sectors will be conducted, followed by a consultation process involving potential private sector partners. The end result will be a series of recommendations for UNICEF on the most strategic business partnerships and engagement opportunities that the organisation can pursue in the region, and on key policy change interventions that it should advocate for. In addition to consultations with business representatives via interviews and an online survey, the research team will liaise with UNICEF’s in-country WASH experts and conduct reviews of literature and policy documents to contribute to the understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to addressing water scarcity.