A/RES/72/178
The human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
Recalling further the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development of June
1992 8 and its resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, entitled “The future we want”, and
emphasizing the critical importance of water and sanitation within the three
dimensions of sustainable development,
Reaffirming its resolution 71/222 of 21 December 2016, by which it proclaimed
the period 2018–2028 the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable
Development”,
Recalling its resolution 71/256 of 23 December 2016, entitled “New Urban
Agenda”, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable
Urban Development (Habitat III), held from 17 to 20 October 2016 in Quito, which
promotes equitable and affordable access to sustainable basic physical and social
infrastructure for all, without discrimination, including safe drinking water and
sanitation,
Recalling also the designation, pursuant to General Assembly resolutions
47/193 of 22 December 1992 and 67/291 of 24 July 2013, of 22 March as World Water
Day and 19 November as World Toilet Day, which are important opportunities to
promote, among other issues, awareness of the human rights to safe drinking water
and sanitation and of the remaining challenges in this regard,
Recalling further that, in its resolution 67/291, entitled “Sanitation for All”, it
encouraged all Member States, as well as the organizations of the United Nations
system and international organizations and other stakeholders, to approach the
sanitation issue in a much broader context and to encompass all its aspects, including
hygiene promotion, the provision of basic sanitation services, sewage and wastewater
treatment and reuse in the context of integrated water management,
Taking note of the relevant commitments and initiatives promoting the human
rights to safe drinking water and sanitation made at the 2014 high -level meeting of
the Sanitation and Water for All partnership and in the Ngor Declaration on Sanitation
and Hygiene, adopted at the fourth African Conference on Sanitation and Hygiene, in
2015, the Dhaka Declaration, adopted at the sixth South Asian Conference on
Sanitation, in 2016, the Lima Declaration, adopted at the fourth Latin American and
Caribbean Conference on Sanitation, in 2016, and the Dar es Salaam road map for
achieving the Ngor commitments on water security and sanitation in Africa, adopted
at the sixth Africa Water Week, in 2016, and in the call for action of the high-level
symposium on the theme “Sustainable Development Goal 6 and targets: ensuring that
no one is left behind in access to water and sanitation”, held in Dushanbe from 9 to
11 August 2016,
Recalling general comment No. 15 (2002) of the Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights on the right to water (articles 11 and 12 of the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) 9 and the statement on the right
to sanitation of the Committee of 19 November 2010, 10 as well as the reports of the
Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on the human rights to safe drinking
water and sanitation,
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8
9
10
2/6
Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro,
3 −14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by the Conference (United Nations publication,
Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigendum), resolution 1, annex I.
Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2003, Supplement No. 2 (E/2003/22),
annex IV.
Ibid., 2011, Supplement No. 2 (E/2011/22), annex VI.
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