The World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), founded in 2000, is the flagship programme of UN-Water. Housed and led by UNESCO, WWAP monitors freshwater issues in order to provide recommendations, develop case studies, enhance assessment capacity at a national level and inform the decision-making process.

UN-Water is a mechanism with 25 member agencies to strengthen coordination and coherence among all United Nations bodies that deal with freshwater issues: from water supply, sanitation and health to climate, food, energy, environment, disasters and sustainable water resources management for socioeconomic development. Established in 2003 by the High-Level Committee on Programmes of the United Nations, it evolved from many years of close collaboration among UN agencies. UN-Water is not another agency; through task forces and programmes led and hosted by various members, it adds value to existing activities and fosters cooperation and information sharing among UN agencies and stakeholder representatives.