UN Human Rights Council creates Independent Expert on the human right to water and sanitation

On 28 March 2008, the UN Human Rights Council, the primary United Nations body for human rights issues, adopted by consensus a resolution sponsored by Germany and Spain, with over 40 co-sponsors, on ‘Human Rights and access to safe drinking water and sanitation.’

Through this resolution, the Council established a new ‘Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.’ The Independent Expert will work for 3 years on two primary tasks.

First, to identify, promote and exchange on best practices related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and, in that regard, to prepare a compendium of best practices; and

second, to carry out further clarification of the content of human rights obligations, including non-discrimination obligations, in relation to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

For more information on the legal basis of the right to water and sanitation, see: ‘The Human Right to Water and Sanitation: Legal basis, Practical Rationale and Definition’ available in English at www.cohre.org/water > Resources and Articles).

Contact information	Henri Smets (email: henri@smets.com)
News type	Inbrief
File link	http://www.cohre.org/store/attachments/UN%20GeneralComment%20on%20the%20right%20to%20water_15.pdf
File link local	UN_GeneralCommentRighttowater_15.pdf (application/force-download, 72 Kb)
Source of information	COHRE (Center on Housing Rights and Evictions)
Keyword(s)	right to water and sanitation
Subject(s)	DRINKING WATER , DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION : COMMON PROCESSES OF PURIFICATION AND TREATMENT , RIGHT , SANITATION -STRICT PURIFICATION PROCESSES
Relation	http://www.semide.net/topics/WaterRight
Geographical coverage	International
News date	03/04/2008
Working language(s)	ENGLISH