Hydraulic ram pumps and Sling Pumps

Access to a regular supply of safe water is a basic human right, as is access to unadulteratedfood. But as with other human rights, too many people miss out. Of theworld’s population of 6 billion people, at least 1.1 billion do not have available sourcesof clean drinking-water, such as protected springs and wells.Lack of access to safe water has a major effect on people’s health. Poor health constrainsdevelopment and poverty alleviation. Poor water and sanitation have an impacton education, but when safe water and appropriate sanitation are provided in schools,increased attendance and a reduction in drop-out rates results.Water is essential for farming and for manufacturing services. Making more wateravailable to communities can improve families’ incomes, for instance by boosting cropproduction and the health of livestock.Water sources have been put under great pressure by population increases in developedand developing countries, through pollution by agricultural, domestic andindustrial waste, and by environmental change.What is a human right?Human rights are protected by internationally guaranteed standards that ensure thefundamental freedoms and dignity of individuals and communities.They include civil,cultural, economic, political and social rights. Human rights principally concern the relationshipbetween the individual and the State. Governmental obligations with regard tohuman rights can broadly be categorized in obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil(WHO, 2002).Everyone has the right to a standard of livingadequate for the health and well-beingof himself and of his family.— Article 25, Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights (1948)●●●●In the past 10 years, diarrhoea haskilled more children than all thoselost to armed conflict in almost 60years since the Second World War.A child dies every 15 seconds fromdiarrhoea, caused largely by poorsanitation and water supply.In 1998, 308 000 people died fromwar in Africa, but more than 2 million(six times as many) died of diarrhoealdisease.The death toll from diarrhoeaamong children far exceeds that forHIV/AIDS among children.WHO/UNICEF Joint MonitoringProgramme on Water Supply andSanitation, Assessment 2000 Report.Respect. The obligation to respect requires that States Parties (that is, governmentsratifying the treaty) refrain from interfering directly or indirectly with the enjoymentof the right to water.Protect. The obligation to protect requires that States Parties prevent third partiessuch as corporations from interfering in any way with the enjoyment of theright to water.Fulfil. The obligation to fulfil requires that States Parties adopt the necessarymeasures to achieve the full realization of the right to water.7