Feature: A UN Resolution - Your Right To Water

We all need water, no matter who we are or where we live. That’s why access to clean drinking water and sanitation has been declared a fundamental human right by the UN. The General Assembly passed the resolution [1] in July 2010, with 122 nations in favour, none against and 41 abstaining.

The resolution [2] goes into detail concerning the scale of the problem:
•    an estimated 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water
•    more that 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation
•    around 1.5m children under five die each year from water and sanitation-related diseases.

Catarina de Albuquerque, the UN independent expert on human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, will give an annual report to the UN Assembly on progress. Ms. de Albuquerques’ report will highlight the obstacles that are being faced and offer an insight into the challenges surrounding access to sanitation and clean water.

United Nations Member States and international organisations have also been asked to offer funding, technology and other resources to help developing countries scale up their efforts to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for everyone.

A Bolivian representative tabled the UN resolution, which followed campaigns and reforms to Bolivia’s own constitution. Christian Aid partner Fundación Solón [3] organised grass roots events, campaigning for access to clean water and sanitation. The campaigns had a significant impact at a national level and led to a change in the Bolivian constitution in 2009, which acknowledged clean water as a human right; reinforcing the importance of the right to water at an international level.

“Water cannot be treated as a million pound industry. We can’t allow our government to make decisions that benefit the financial gain of a few over the right to water, to life” - said Elysabeth Peredo, Director of Christian Aid partner Fundación Solón.

“Water cannot be treated as a million pound industry. We can’t allow our government to make decisions that benefit the financial gain of a few over the right to water, to life.”

The progress of Fundación Solón shows the effect of grass root campaigns and how they have the power to bring change in their own countries and then go on to create more change at an international level.

Everyone is entitled to clean water and sanitation. This new UN resolution highlights how vital it is. However, in order for this to actually happen, the right systems and infrastructure will need to be in place.

Words: Adizah Tejani
Photo: Christian Aid/Judith Escribano