A/RES/80/216 The human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation Recalling the commitment to step up efforts on all fronts to tackle desertification, land degradation, erosion and drought, biodiversity loss and water scarcity, which are seen as major environmental, economic and social challenges for global sustainable development and for the realization of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Recognizing that, while the implications of climate change-related impacts and environmental damage for the enjoyment of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation affect individuals and communities around the world, the consequences are felt most acutely by those segments of the population that are already in vulnerable situations, such as people living in informal settlements, people living in small island States and rural and local communities, and recognizing also that Indigenous Peoples, because of their specific situation and nature, may be among the first to face the direct consequences of climate change owing to their dependence upon and close relationship with the environment and its resources, 1. Reaffirms that the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, as components of the right to an adequate standard of living, are essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life and all human rights; 2. Also reaffirms that the human right to safe drinking water entitles everyone, without discrimination, to have access to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic use, and that the human right to sanitation entitles everyone, without discrimination, to have physical and affordable access to sanitation, in all spheres of life, that is safe, hygienic, secure, socially and culturally acceptable and that provides privacy and ensures dignity, while reaffirming that both rights are components of the right to an adequate standard of living; 3. Takes note with appreciation of the work of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, and invites him to work, within his mandate, 17 to collaborate and engage with Member States and other stakeholders, including civil society, in achieving the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets; 4. Welcomes the appointment of the first Special Envoy on Water of the Secretary-General and takes note of the publication of the United Nations System wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation in 2024; 5. Calls upon States: (a) To ensure the progressive realization of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation for all in a non‑discriminatory manner while eliminating inequalities in access, including for individuals belonging to groups at risk and those who are marginalized on the grounds of race, gender, age, disability, ethnicity, culture, religion and national or social origin or on any other grounds; (b) To prioritize as a matter of urgency the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation services that are accessible to all, including persons in vulnerable situations, especially in densely populated, impoverished and rural areas, as a means of enhancing pandemic preparedness and preventing the spread of infectious diseases; (c) To protect and restore water-related ecosystems and prioritize, as appropriate, in their water management policies, the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation for all, in particular those affected by lack of access to safe and adequate water and sanitation due to poverty or water scarcity; _______________ 17 6/9 Human Rights Council resolution 60/9. 25-20968