After more than 15 years of a worldwide campaign led by Bolivia, the United Nations recognised the right to drinkable water as a fundamental right. The resolution was adopted with 122 votes in favour and 41 abstentions at the UN General Assembly. This historic step voices deep concern on the 884 million people that do not have access to clean drinkable water and on the 2.6 billions inhabitants of the planet who have no access to basic sanitation. The resolution calls on the States and international organisations "to offer funding and technology to help poorer countries scale up their efforts to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for everyone".
However, implementing this new human right also needs new governance practices that acknowledge the role of local governments in water supply and sanitation. From this standpoint is working the Committee of Social Inclusion and Participative Democracy of UCLG, as shows the draft World Charter-Agenda on Human rights in the City where the right to water is also recognised as a human right.
26/08/2010