Human Rights Obligations Related to Equitable Access to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation

Stakeholders views for the study on human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation
Council's Decision 2/104 – Human Rights and Access to Water

In its Decision 2/104 on Human Rights and Access to Water, the UN Human Rights Council (hereafter the Council) requested:

“(…) the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, taking into account the views of States and other stakeholders, to conduct, within existing resources, a detailed study on the scope and content of the relevant human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international human rights instruments, which includes relevant conclusions and recommendations thereon, to be submitted prior to the sixth session of the Council.”

The High Commissioner would be grateful to receive any relevant information for preparation of the requested study for submission to the Human Rights Council at its sixth session (September 2007) in compliance with paragraph 5 of that decision. The information received will be used for the study and will also be put on the OHCHR website. Information would be particularly welcome on:

a) Views on international human rights obligations to be taken into account in relation to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

b) National legislation or draft legislation related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation (constitution, specific law, regulation, etc.), including with regard to private sector provision of related services.

c) Examples of judicial decisions related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

d) National plans of action, development programmes, public policies or emergency responses related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

e) The impact of these national laws, judicial decisions, plans of action, development programmes, public policies and other measures in promoting or restricting equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

f) Examples of approaches considered to represent “best practice” related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

g) Any other existing initiatives and standards relating to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and the scope and legal status of these initiatives.

Such information should be sent to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights , United Nations Office at Geneva , CH 1211 Geneva 10, by 15 April 2007 either by post or preferably through e-mail at the following address: water@ohchr.org