UN resolution recognises right to water and sanitation

The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a historic resolution on July 28 recognising “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life.” The resolution received 122 votes in favour and zero votes against with abstentions from 41 countries.

Besides recognising the right to water and sanitation, the resolution calls upon states and international organisations to “provide financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer, through international assistance and co-operation, in particular to developing countries, in order to scale up efforts to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.”

Although the resolution is not legally binding, it is a crucial milestone in the recognition of the human rights to water and sanitation. The adoption of the resolution without a single “no” vote “is an important indication of an emerging international consensus on the human right to water for consumption, personal hygiene and sanitation,” says David Weaver from Church World Service, an Ecumenical Water Network participant.

122 countries including China, Russia, Germany, France, Spain and Brazil supported the resolution. The list of those who abstained includes the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as a number of delegations from Europe and other regions.

Several of the abstaining states, including the United States, Canada and Australia, highlighted that despite reservations about the process and content of the resolution they remained committed to supporting the Human Rights Council’s Independent Expert’s efforts to clarify the content of human rights obligations relating to safe water and sanitation.

The resolution refers to the Millennium Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations in 2000, that commit governments to work to halve the number of people without access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2015. In September, the United Nations will hold a summit to assess progress made toward achieving the eight goals.