Water for the Ages

During meetings in March 2008 of the UN Human Rights Council, Germany and Spain proposed a resolution to identify water as a global human right. Canada and the United States refused to pass this resolution because of wording that defined water as a human right.

The United States and Canada were concerned the inclusion of water as a ‘human right’ would interfere with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) according to Food and Water Watch. NAFTA “defines water as a good and an investment” as highlighted by Water Wired. The identification of water as a human right could possibly hinder future import/export of bulk water between the two nations.

So, to satisfy the United States and Canada, the UN Human Rights Council deleted all phrases in the document stating “right to water and sanitation,” and replaced the phrases with “Human Rights and access to safe drinking water and sanitation.” The Council also voted for an ‘Independent Expert’ to investigate the “issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation” over the next three years.

Water: Property or Human Right? - World Economic Forum 2006

National constitutions recognizing the right to water                (from the great Food and Water Watch)

• 1994, Panama: A constitutional amendment recognized the State’s responsibility to guarantee water for adequate development;
• 1995, Ethiopia: “[P]olicies shall aim to provide all Ethiopians access to [..] clean water;”
• 1995, Uganda: The State is obliged to fulfill fundamental rights to social justice and economic development including clean and safe water;
• 1996, Gambia: “The State shall endeavour to facilitate equal access to clean and safe water;”
• 1996, South Africa: “Everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water;”
• 2004, Uruguay: Uruguayans approved a constitutional amendment by popular vote guaranteeing the right to water.