In this context, it is crucial to have a clear picture of the forces driving inclusive approaches in water policy and projects to understand why stakeholder engagement is taking place and for what purpose. By 2050, the world’s population is projected to grow to around 9 billion people, with a major proportion living in urban areas. A total of 4 billion people will live in water-stressed areas, and water demand will increase by 55%, thus generating further competition among water users (especially domestic, hydropower and irrigation). The future gloomy picture for the water sector has triggered new emphasis on the role of stakeholder engagement across public, private and non-profit sectors, combined with structural and conjunctural drivers that have pushed stakeholder engagement to develop along different rationales.