Note: This draft declaration is open for endorsement until 25th September.
Contact: Tobias Schmitz
One “Water” Goal, One Process
NGO/ CSO Declaration to the 24th regular session of the Human Rights Council
(9 - 27 September 2013)
The organisations listed below , […]
Reminding the UN Human Rights Council member States that realizing the human rights to water and sanitation and ensuring good water governance are conditions for peace, security, sustainable development, poverty eradication and the enjoyment of many human rights including the rights to life, food, housing and health;
Concerned about the long term human rights impacts of the over-extraction of surface and groundwater, poor flood control, destruction of ecosystems, pollution, and other types of water resources mismanagement;
Underlining the crucial importance of the human right to water and sanitation for the realization of many other human rights
Recognising that all human rights are interlinked and indivisible and cannot be considered in isolation from one another;
Concerned that, notwithstanding their interdependence, international human rights, environmental and water obligations of States are not read together or harmonized;
Noting that, even though the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have had a positive effect in poverty eradication and in bringing visibility and political attention to sanitation and water, progress made has been uneven, disparities between and within countries are greater, and neither the process nor the targets were harmonized with the human rights obligations of UN Member States;
Recalling Res.64/292 of the United Nations General Assembly,Res.15/9, 16/2, 18/1 and21/2 of the Human Rights Council that explicitly recognize and call upon States to implement the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, and especially para. b of Res.18/1 that calls upon states to “assess existing policies, programmes and activities in the sectors of water and sanitation, giving due consideration to waste-water management, including treatment and reuse, and to monitor resources allocated to increase adequate access, as well as to identify actors and their capacity” and para. f of the same resolution that calls upon states to “set access targets to be reached in short-time periods for universal service provision, giving priority to realizing a basic level of service for everyone before improving service levels for those already served”;
Recalling para.119 of the Rio +20 Declaration which recognizes that “water is at the core of sustainable development as it is closely linked to a number of key global challenges”, as well as the comments of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to water and sanitation to the effect that ‘’Sustainability is key to the uninterrupted and long-term enjoyment of rights related to water; it is essential to ensure that not only present generations enjoy the benefits of water and sanitation, but also that future generations are catered for’’
Recalling para. 124 of the Rio + 20 Declaration which stresses both “the need to adopt measures to significantly reduce water pollution and increase water quality, significantly improve wastewater treatment and water efficiency and reduce water losses”, and “the need for international assistance and cooperation”;
Noting the importance for access to information, participation and accountability of specific rights-based indicators in data collection and monitoring frameworks to highlight whether access to water and sanitation services are safe, affordable and are delivered to all people without discrimination,
Call upon the UN Human Rights Council to urge UN Member States to:
1. Develop a single integrated and SMARTER [1]water goal for a water safe world –– which includes a human rights based approach to
· Universal use of basic drinking water, adequate sanitation, hand washing facilities and menstrual hygiene facilities at home, schools and health care facilities while progressively eliminating inequalities;
· responsible, participatory and sustainable integrated water resource management – locally, nationally and transboundary - and
· waste water management (including treatment) as indispensable elements for sustainable development and poverty alleviation (see Annex);
2. Ensure that the post-2015 development framework reflects States’ existing obligations under international human rights law, international (common) water law, and international environmental law, and is designed to support the recognition in national law, and realization, of human rights and environmental sustainability at all levels;
3. Ensure, especially, that eliminating all inequalities is central to the post-2015 development framework and that groups facing discrimination and injustice or particular barriers are identified; ensure that development efforts and financial investments are designed and implemented in a way that focuses on removing barriers and closing existing gaps, including through mechanisms of affirmative action;
4. Ensure that the future framework monitors the progress of national policies, programmes and practices and international cooperation and technical and financial assistance in realizing the water goal;
5. Ensure that the current two processes respectively aimed at developing sustainable development goals (SDGs) and post millennium development goals (MDGs), be harmonized into one transparent and inclusive process and a single framework to ensure ownerships of the objectives by States and Peoples.
ANNEX
The recommendations below align with the thematic consultation on post 2015 indicators for water, as published in “Water in the post-2105 development agenda- Beyond 2015” (2013)[2]. These recommendations focus on the principles that should guide discussions and the determination of the future framework.:
WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION
The future framework must aim for universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene, with a particular focus on expeditiously ending open defecation, and ensuring non-discriminatory access and sustainable services within resource limits.
· The definition of access to water, sanitation and hygiene in the post-2015 agenda must be based on the normative content of the human right to water and sanitation. Data collection and dissemination of information on levels of access to water and sanitation must fully assess quality, availability, physical accessibility and affordability. The post-2015 development agenda must tackle disparities and identify non-discrimination and equality as core principles.
· We support the overall vision and priorities outlined in the Proposal for consolidated drinking water, sanitation and hygiene targets, indicators and definitions put forward by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme.
· To accelerate progress in sanitation and ensure good hygiene behaviour, governments must commit to awareness raising and education measures to break taboos around sanitation and menstrual hygiene management and ensure the importance of basic hygiene practice is understood by all.
· WASH targets and indicators should address access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene at household level and also in schools, health facilities and workplaces both in terms of quantity and quality
· The post-2015 framework should reflect the critical linkages between WASH and health, education, gender, economic and environmental sectors for both strengthening the efficiency of interventions and for producing sustainable human development outcomes.
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
· In accordance with the interpretation of the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, water is required to realize many human rights. It is necessary to produce food (right to adequate food), to ensure environmental hygiene (right to health), to securing livelihoods (right to gain a living by work) and enjoying certain cultural practices (right to take part in cultural life). Nevertheless, priority in the allocation of water must be given to the right to water for personal and domestic uses. Priority should also be given to the water resources required to prevent starvation and disease, as well as water required to meet the core obligations of each of the Covenant rights. The post-2015 agenda for water resources management needs to ensure that these different uses of water are balanced and that priority in the allocation of water has to be given to the satisfaction of basic needs and the safeguarding of ecosystems;
· To catch up with commitments made amongst others since UNCED in 1992 and the WSSD in 2002, and Rio + 20, the implementation of IWRM must be prioritised in the new framework. There is a need for IWRM to move beyond high level theory and policies, to practical delivery of mechanisms that ensure that all communities benefit, e.g. through water stewardship methods. This necessitates giving all societal groups, including local communities and marginalised groups, a critical role in all aspects of water resources management to ensure their needs and interests are represented and integrated. This includes capacity development of all actors in water resources management, ensuring access to information and justice, and participation in decision-making.
· Water resources management must especially include practical mechanisms to address rapidly increasing demands for water from growing populations, the impacts of rapidly changing land use and urbanisation, environmental degradation, high levels of existing climate variability and climate change. This includes, for example, watershed management, water harvesting techniques, flood resistant water and sanitation services and rapid restoration of systems for water and sanitation services damaged by disaster events.
· Climate change adaptation and resilience must be mainstreamed into water resources management legislation and policies as well as into emerging policies and approaches to tackle the water-food-energy nexus.
· We recommend the introduction of a mechanism to track indirect consumption of water, such as the virtual water concept and water footprint, to ensure that water consumption stays within resource thresholds by encouraging countries, businesses and individuals to reduce their water consumption and improve the efficiency of water usage.
· We recommend that hydrological monitoring is strengthened to better inform risk assessment, planning and implementation of strategies to address water -related challenges
WASTEWATER AND WATER QUALITY
· In accordance with the interpretation of the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, environmental hygiene, as an aspect of the right to health encompasses states taking steps on a non-discriminatory basis to prevent threats to health from unsafe and toxic water conditions and ensure that natural water resources are protected from contamination by harmful substances and pathogenic microbes. Likewise, States parties should monitor and combat situations where aquatic eco-systems serve as a habitat for vectors of diseases wherever they pose a risk to human living environments. The future framework must aim for effective wastewater collection, treatment and management to ensure the preservation of ecosystems and sustainable access to and use of quality water.
· Water pollution control parameters must be introduced and safe wastewater reuse and recycling must be made possible, particularly by large-scale water users, such as agriculture and industries.
· Future water quality parameters and monitoring must support preservation of ecosystems and guarantee adequate standards for water for human consumption and for livelihoods.
[1] a mnemonic, giving criteria to guide in the setting of objectives. The letters broadly conform to the words specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound, evaluated and reevaluated.
[2] Please note that the texts below are an adapted version of the official paper ‘’Beyond 2015: Water in the post 2015 Development Agenda as endorsed by the Beyond 2015 Steering Committee. For the original version please consult: http://www.google.nl/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldwewant2015.org%2Ffile%2F341040%2Fdownload%2F370715&ei=MAcwUozvIIWi0QXmjYC4Cw&usg=AFQjCNFpwcX0RLTR0ZGU4zqyLxllZZkNLg&sig2=k25iNwYRhdmkVuD9yJ1xHQ&bvm=bv.51773540,d.d2k