WUNRN
UN Special Rapporteur on the Human
Right to Safe Drinking Water & Sanitation
RIGHT TO WATER & SANITATION
MADE LEGALLY BINDING BY UN RIGHTS COUNCIL
GENEVA (1 October 2010) – In a historic meeting of the Human Rights Council,
the UN affirmed yesterday by consensus that the right to water and sanitation
is derived from the right to an adequate standard of living, which is contained
in several international human rights treaties. While experts working with the
UN human rights system have long acknowledged this, it was the first time that
the Human Rights Council has declared itself on the issue. According to the UN
Independent Expert on human rights obligations related to access to safe
drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, “this means that for
the UN, the right to water and sanitation, is contained in existing human
rights treaties and is therefore legally binding”. She added that “this
landmark decision has the potential to change the lives of the billions of
human beings who still lack access to water and sanitation.” ........
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