HRC dialogue with Sp. Rapporteur on human right to safe drinking water and sanitation – Palestine’s statement – Press release (excerpts)

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HOLDS INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHT TO SAFE DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

15 September 2011

The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. The Council also heard the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights present thematic reports prepared by the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and then started its general debate on the promotion and protection of all human rights: civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

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Catarina de Albuquerque, Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, said the biggest barrier to the enjoyment of human rights obligations relating to access to safe drinking water and sanitation was political will. Her report indentified common success factors relevant to national and local planning exercises. A first crucial step was a strong legal framework. Successful national plans would clearly allocate responsibilities among different actors. Without adequate and predictable financing, planning and target setting was meaningless. A common reason for failure of plans was the lack of effective engagement with concerned individuals and communities. The Special Rapporteur’s compilation of good practices allowed the identification of common success factors and provided evidence that using the human rights framework had a concrete impact on changing people’s lives in relation to water and sanitation.

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Interactive Dialogue

IMAD ZUHAIRI (Palestine) said that the denial of access to water and sanitation was a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The right to water was seen as necessary for the enjoyment of many other rights. When States parties incorporated international obligations in national legislation, the right to water became enforceable on the national level. Israel’s water policies and practices discriminated against the Palestinian population, resulting in widespread violations or the right to an adequate standard of living. The inequality in access to water between Israelis and Palestinian was striking. Palestinians were often denied their water rights and suffered from diminished amounts of water compared to Israeli settlers. Poor sanitation services affected all sectors of the Palestinian population. During the occupation, Israel had over-exploited Palestinian water resources and neglected the water and sanitation infrastructure in the occupied territories. Urgent measures were needed to ensure adequate water supplies and to prevent further damage to the water resources and the environment.

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For use of the information media; not an official record