the human right to water and sanitation in emergency situations

ExECUTIvE SUMMARY
Executive summary
Water and sanitation are critical determinants for human survival and dignity immediately after and during
the initial stages of a disaster. Whilst humanitarian agencies have traditionally been involved in fieldwork on
those aspects, now, however, advocacy is playing an increasingly important role in water and sanitation
provision during emergencies. In this respect, the recognition of the right to water and sanitation as a right
per se offers some new perspectives.
It means that every humanitarian actor, whether a staff member working in the field or a policy maker,
should be aware of existing laws pertaining to this fundamental right, and in particular because:
- International law defines the obligations of States and provides a framework for the exercise of the
rights and responsibilities of other actors, including humanitarian agencies;
- The right to water and sanitation is fundamentally linked to many other human rights;
- Lack of access to basic services such as water and sanitation is increasingly considered as a denial/
violation of human rights.
This document is based on the following key characteristics of the right to water and sanitation:
- Access to water and sanitation is a human right that States and non-State actors must respect,
even in humanitarian crises;
- Every person has the right to water, defined as the right for everyone to «sufficient, safe, acceptable,
physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic use»;
- Everyone has a right to have access to adequate sanitation;
- The right to water is inextricably linked to other human rights, including the right to health and
the right to adequate food. As such, it is a component part of all the rights that are essential for human
survival, and that must be guaranteed, especially in emergencies;
- Water and sanitation recognized as human rights ensure that focus is placed on vulnerable and
marginalized groups, especially in emergency situations;
- States have an obligation to guarantee availability, quality and accessibility of water for
everyone, as well to ensure non-discrimination, access to information and participation and
accountability;
- States must respect, protect and fulfil the right to water and sanitation, at national, community
and individual levels;
- The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols protect the right to water and sanitation
of people in the context of armed conflict. For instance, in times of armed conflict, under
International Humanitarian Law it is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless drinking
water installations or irrigation works.
These elements demonstrate how important it is to develop a rights-based advocacy focused on identifying
violations of the exercise of the right to water and setting out a message of change to address violations,
promote respect for international standards and protect all people against violations of their rights.
Humanitarian actors using this approach then need to identify violations, victims and perpetrators.
This will allow them to elaborate a strategy and select the best right to water and sanitation initiatives to
put into practice. This includes speaking out, raising awareness of people’s rights in emergencies, and
advocating for the right to water and sanitation at all relevant levels and fora. It is up to each individual
organization to define the aspect or aspects of the right that are important to its own work, to identify any
© ACF - THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER AND SANITATION IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
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