----- Original Message ----- From: "Shiney Varghese" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 10:41 PM Subject: [WaterForum] Water Declared a Human Right
Water Declared a Human Right GENEVA, Switzerland, December 4, 2002 (ENS) - Safe and secure drinking water is a human right, a United Nations committee has declared formally for the first time. "Water should be treated as a social and cultural good, and not primarily as an economic commodity," the committee said, siding with those who object to the privatization of water supplies. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights took the unprecedented step of agreeing on a General Comment on water as a human right, saying, "Water is fundamental for life and health. The human right to water is indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of all other human rights." A General Comment is an interpretation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This one was signed on November 27 as the Committee wound up its three week autumn session. Although the Covenant does not expressly refer to the word "water," the committee determined that the right to water is "clearly implicit" in the rights contained in two sections of the Covenant. The General Comment means that the 145 countries which have ratified the Covenant "have a constant and continuing duty" to progressively ensure that everyone has access to safe and secure drinking water and sanitation facilities - equitably and without discrimination. The General Comment specifically recognizes that water, like health, is an essential element for achieving other human rights, such as the rights to adequate food and nutrition, housing and education. An estimated 1.1 billion of the world's people, roughly one in six, do not have access to clean drinking water, according to WHO figures. Sanitation progress has also been slow, and some 2.4 billion people, about one in every 2.5 individuals, still do not have access to a safe latrine. The General Comment provides a tool for civil society to hold governments accountable for ensuring equitable access to water. It is intended to focus attention and activities on the poor and vulnerable, the committee says. Full report at http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-04-01.asp **** WaterForum, A Worldwide Water Discussion **** www.rockware.com **** ***** CREATE DETAILED BORING LOGS: LogPlot2003 is now available: LogPlot2003 has many new text, lithology, scale, import, and export tools. Visit http://www.rockware.com/catalog/pages/logplot.html for details. Feel free to contact RockWare at 303.278.3534 to get your order in. Over 200 Earth Science and GIS Software Solutions at http://www.rockware.com ****** To Post a message to WaterForum, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To get a DIGEST version /or for administration E-MAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ _______________________________________________ Envorum mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.lead.or.id/mailman/listinfo/envorum
