A water journey: From corporate law to water law and diplomacy

Zaki Shubber has recently started her career at UNESCO-IHE as lecturer in law and water diplomacy in the Integrated Water Systems and Governance department. By doing so she changed the course of her career completely having come from the corporate world. Read her story here.

My name is Zaki Shubber and I am a lecturer in law and water diplomacy at UNESCO-IHE. However, I started in my professional career in a completely different sector: I was a corporate and aviation lawyer at a large transantlantic law firm in the City in London.

I had had an interest in water for some time and reading about the growing challenges that the water sector was facing I decided to take a leap and completely change the focus of my career. I had also always had an interest in alternative dispute resolution and was keen to combine that interest with water, and also with the law.

UNESCO-IHE offers courses on water conflict management. Conflicts and disputes occur around water at different levels and the short video clip below from India illustrates such a dispute.

FROM STUDENT TO STAFF AT UNESCO-IHE

As I had no background in water I came to UNESCO-IHE to study water-related topics and conflict management. I then studied water law at the IHP-HELP Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science under the auspices of UNESCO. The courses I took at UNESCO-IHE were extremely helpful: the knowledge I acquired has enabled me to participate and contribute to different kinds of activities in the water sector.

By following the programme I have been able to obtain a thorough understanding of the water cycle and hence of the challenges in water resources management, which gives me an unique position in mediating and negotiating water sharing arrangement. And since making that decision I have been very lucky to have returned to UNESCO-IHE as a member of staff!

RELATED INFO

Learn more about the MSc programme Water Conflict Management here.

Learn more about the International Year of Water Cooperation here.

Looking for a short course? Click here for the 3-week course on Negotiation and Mediation for Water Conflict Management I or learn more about the advanced courseNegotiation and Mediation for Water Conflict Management II