Just water?

Not all water is equal. Globally, one in four of us doesn't have access to clean drinking water, and 1.2 billion people face daily risks from water-related hazards like floods, droughts and storms.

Water access is fair when everyone has enough safe water for their needs, when communities and groups have a say in the management of their own water, and when human water use doesn't harm ecosystems. Water justice finds social and political solutions to improve people's access to water. Fair solutions are inspired by local culture and consider marginalised and vulnerable groups in the community, as well as the needs of ecosystems.

Controlling water is a life-or-death matter. Depending on where you live, ownership of water might be claimed by government, landowners or communities. But whoever claims the water itself, water management decisions made at every level have the power to help, or hinder, people's access to this vital substance.

Using Research to Create Change

Positive change needs informed actions. The global research network has always shared knowledge and collaborated to test ideas. Understanding how to improve water security, and the barriers that exist at an individual and community level, is no mean feat. But the global research community has the tools to do it: they are improving our understanding of patterns in water use and climate variability, testing our fair water solutions that improve water access, and sharing research tools and training with researchers in resource-poor locations. Researchers are doing this in consultation with decision-makers. From local communities to national and international policy-makers, people need to understand what choices they have when they make decisions.

REACH is a global research programme based at Oxford University which aims to improve water security for 10 million people in Africa and Asia. The Fair Water? exhibition is a collaboration between REACH and Oxford University Museum of Natural History.