The MDGs and the human rights to water and sanitation 2010, para. 31

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Fifthly and finally, services must be affordable. Access to water and sanitation must not compromise the ability to pay for other essential needs guaranteed by human rights such as food, housing and health care. While the Millennium Declaration specifically mentioned reducing by half the proportion of people unable to reach or afford safe water (General Assembly resolution 55/2, para. 19), the notion of affordability was omitted from Goal 7. This suggests that, politically, States saw the significance of affordability for ensuring actual access to services, but could not undertake to monitor it because of the lack of data. Developing such data sets is crucial to monitor affordability levels and progress in that regard. The affordability criterion needs to be revived and prioritized in national Millennium Development Goal monitoring activities and future global initiatives.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
  • Economic Rights
  • Equality & Inclusion
  • Water & Sanitation
Person(s) affected
  • All
Year
2010
Paragraph type
Other
Paragraph number
31