A downstream country, for instance, may be more vulnerable because it has no possibility of influencing water management upstream, but in other cases upstream countries may be more vulnerable because of climatic or economic conditions. Transboundary consultation and cooperation is consequently imperative in analysing and reducing vulnerability. Socio-economic factors can make people and societies more or less vulnerable to climate change, and also alter their perception of their vulnerability. Moreover, differences may exist in social vulnerabilities in different riparian countries. Social vulnerability can be reduced by improving factors like levels of literacy and education, health infrastructure, the existence of peace and security, access to basic human rights, systems of good governance, social equity, traditional values, customs and ideological beliefs and overall collective organizational systems.