The rapidly growing population, increased affluence, and climate change have altered the global hydrological budget, with the implication of access to water to meet the diverse needs of the burgeoning global population. The situation in Africa is compounded by ongoing and widespread political and ethno-religious unrests that fuel unstable conditions.

At the centre of the current water crisis lies the issues of governance. Water governance has emerged as one of the most critical areas to improve the sustainable development of water resources and services and to respond to a global water crisis – a crisis that is not about having too little water to satisfy our needs but rather of managing water and making it accessible to all. This course scrutinises the governance structure for water resources management, focusing on significant issues, concepts, debates, stakeholders, legal and institutional frameworks and the underlying politics in water resources management and water service delivery. The course interrogates water privatisation, citizens' right to water, water insecurity, transboundary disputes, urban provision and social equity, climate change and water supply alternatives. Although the course draws examples from worldwide, Africa remains the specific context. The course examines water management's social and governance dimensions in Africa. As a multi-disciplinary course, the course draws on diverse analytical perspectives from the social sciences, law, and development studies.