Abstract
The year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations (UN) resolution that recognized the human rights to water and sanitation (HRtWS), and is the last year of the second mandate of the Special Rapporteurs (SRs), spanning 12 years in total. This paper discusses the challenges in the fulfilment of the rights through the work of the SRs, based on an analysis of the twenty-three country visits, seven follow-up reports, and twenty-two thematic reports elaborated during this time. While policy, regulation and finance receive the most attention from the SRs, the analysis of the follow-up reports show that the SRs’ recommendations alone might not be enough to trigger structural changes at country level. Aspects of accountability, equality and nondiscrimination also stand out in the work of the SRs. Based on the analysis, the last section identifies topics, settings, and groups that require further attention from a human rights perspective including: extraterritorial obligations, including transboundary waters; the UN and the HRtWS; climate change; public provision of water and sanitation services; drinking water quality control and surveillance; rural sanitation; indigenous peoples; sanitation workers; informal settlements; and capacity development.
Highlights
The year 2020 is an emblematic year for the human rights to water and sanitation (HRtWS)
The need to eliminate inequalities and address discriminatory practices is clear when we look at the statistics at the end of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) period
The main instruments for this work are country visits, undertaken at the invitation of the respective governments, and thematic reports covering a range of topics, submitted to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) These reports covered many topics, from the first in 2009 where the Special Rapporteur (SR) clarified the content and critical considerations of the human right to sanitation, to the latest in 2020, where the risks that privatization of water and sanitation services pose to the HRtWS were discussed
Summary
The year 2020 is an emblematic year for the human rights to water and sanitation (HRtWS). It is the last year of the second mandate of the Special Rapporteurs (SRs, Appendix A (1)), both appointed by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) It is the year when the 10th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 64/292 [1] recognizing the HRtWS is celebrated. The main instruments for this work are country visits, undertaken at the invitation of the respective governments, and thematic reports covering a range of topics, submitted to the UNGA and the UN HRC These reports covered many topics, from the first in 2009 where the Special Rapporteur (SR) clarified the content and critical considerations of the human right to sanitation, to the latest in 2020, where the risks that privatization of water and sanitation services pose to the HRtWS were discussed. Issue on the HRtWS, the paper refers to other published papers in this volume to illustrate some of the arguments built
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
