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–2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in DevelopingCountries, Particularly in Africa (2001), para. 19
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- 7. Reiterates the need to ensure that measures to reduce malaria transmission risks, including environmental management, are included in development planning and activities;
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Health
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Acroecology and the right to food 2011, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- Crop breeding and agroecology are complementary. For instance, breeding provides new varieties with shorter growing cycles, which enable farmers to continue farming in regions where the crop season has already shrunk. Breeding can also improve the level of drought resistance in plant varieties, an asset for countries where lack of water is a limiting factor. Reinvesting in agricultural research must consequently mean continued efforts in breeding. However, agroecology is more overarching as it supports building drought-resistant agricultural systems (including soils, plants, agrobiodiversity, etc.), not just drought-resistant plants.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Food & Nutrition
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 05
- Paragraph text
- Reaffirming the internationally agreed development goals on water and sanitation, including those contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, 5 and determined to achieve the goal to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water, and the goals set out in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation to halve the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation as well as to develop integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans by 2005, with support to developing countries,
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 07
- Paragraph text
- Noting that the Fourth World Water Forum will take place in Mexico in March 2006,
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 08
- Paragraph text
- Taking note with interest of the establishment of the Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation by the Secretary-General, 8 and looking forward to its contribution to the mobilization of efforts and resources towards the implementation of the commitments, goals and targets agreed upon in those areas,
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 11
- Paragraph text
- 3. Encourages Member States, the Secretariat, organizations of the United Nations system and major groups to continue their efforts to achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals contained in Agenda 21, 1 the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, 2 the United Nations Millennium Declaration 5 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation;
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 12
- Paragraph text
- 4. Welcomes the work of the twelfth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and looks forward to the upcoming thirteenth session of the Commission on the thematic cluster of issues on water, sanitation and human settlements;
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 13
- Paragraph text
- 5. Invites the Secretary-General to take appropriate actions in organizing the activities of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, taking into account the results of the International Year of Freshwater and the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development at its twelfth and thirteenth sessions;
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken during the International Year of Freshwater, 2003, preparations for the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005–2015, and further efforts to achieve the sustainable development of water resources (2005), para. 15
- Paragraph text
- 7. Notes with interest the partnership initiatives on water and sanitation undertaken within the framework of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and in the follow-up to the Summit and in accordance with the criteria and guidelines adopted by the Commission on Sustainable Development at its eleventh session; 10
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken in preparation for the International Year of Freshwater, 2003 (2003), para. 05
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- Recalling the commitment made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development to launch programmes of action, with financial and technical assistance, to achieve the Millennium development goal on safe drinking water, namely, to halve by 2015 the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water, as outlined in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, 5 and the goal of the Summit to halve the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation, 6 Recalling also its resolution 53/199 of 15 December 1998 on the proclamation of international years,
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
Paragraph
Activities undertaken in preparation for the International Year of Freshwater, 2003 (2003), para. 06
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- Noting the efforts made in preparation for the Third World Water Forum and International Ministerial Conference, to be held in Japan in March 2003, and for the elaboration of the “World Water Development Report”,
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa Action Agenda) (2015), para. 019
- Original document
- Paragraph text
- 14. Establishing a new forum to bridge the infrastructure gap. Investing in sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including transport, energy, water and sanitation for all, is a pre-requisite for achieving many of our goals. To bridge the global infrastructure gap, including the $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion annual gap in developing countries, we will facilitate development of sustainable, accessible and resilient quality infrastructure in developing countries through enhanced financial and technical support. We welcome the launch of new infrastructure initiatives aimed at bridging these gaps, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Global Infrastructure Hub, the New Development Bank, the Asia Pacific Project Preparation Facility, the World Bank Group’s Global Infrastructure Facility and the Africa50 Infrastructure Fund, as well as the increase in the capital of the Inter-American Investment Corporation. As a key pillar to meet the sustainable development goals, we call for the establishment of a global infrastructure forum building on existing multilateral collaboration mechanisms, led by the multilateral development banks. This forum will meet periodically to improve alignment and coordination among established and new infrastructure initiatives, multilateral and national development banks, United Nations agencies and national institutions, development partners and the private sector. It will encourage a greater range of voices to be heard, particularly from developing countries, to identify and address infrastructure and capacity gaps in particular in least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and African countries. It will highlight opportunities for investment and cooperation and work to ensure that investments are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- In order to assess and ensure affordability, States need to look into the overall cost of delivering service that can have implications to the user's payments. These include not only those regularly occurring costs such as operation and maintenance, but also the entire "life-cycle" costs of services, which include construction and rehabilitation (where necessary). This life-cycle cost is particularly relevant for sanitation, considering the management of wastes. Once the costs for service delivery have been estimated, a different discussion is how to recover them. This can include a variety of sources, from tariffs to external public financing and, more important to the aim of this report, how to share the revenues from different users. On this last point, affordability needs to be a key consideration in order to avoid excessively compromising the expenses of people living in poverty.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- For water, costs range from construction, operation and maintenance, in the case of networked provision, to costs of construction and maintenance of on-site solutions such as wells or boreholes. Connection charges are often a significant barrier for those living in extreme poverty. Household contributions for water services in rural areas and in informal settlements can differ quite substantially from household contributions for piped water provision. Beyond the option of buying water from public or private suppliers, individuals may need to cover the costs of the construction, operation and maintenance of communal or individual household provision (such as a rainwater cistern), the cost of purchasing containers to store water, and the treatment of water. Even where water is safe at the source, by the time it has been transported and stored for future use, there is a high risk that it will become contaminated, which leads to extra costs for household water treatment.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- In relation to sanitation, associated costs for households range from construction of the toilet within the home and tariffs in the case of networked provision, to costs of on-site solutions such as the construction or maintenance of pit latrines and septic tanks. On-site technologies generally require regular cleaning and maintenance, including the emptying of pits or septic tanks, and the proper management and disposal or re-use of wastewater and excreta. Sanitation systems that require water for flushing, such as sewerage systems, will generally imply extra costs for the water needed for flushing toilets.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Studies have shown that corruption within the water sector is common. Even where services are nominally affordable to people, corruption may increase the cost of accessing services above official pricing. There may be a lack of transparency in decisions relating to the choice of technology or service provider, which can result in inappropriate - often more costly - choices being made. Corruption also affects prices directly when bribes have to be paid for repair work, connection or reconnection. On a larger scale, there can be corruption within tendering processes for the delivery of services. Corruption tends to disproportionately affect poor and disadvantaged individuals and groups, as they lack the necessary power to oppose the vested interests of elites, and do not have the necessary resources to pay bribes.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- Poorly managed service provision can also have a significant impact on the cost of service provision. States must work to ensure that the right incentives are in place such that providers improve the management of water and sanitation services, including through appropriate organizational structure, optimized running costs, efficient service delivery (e.g. low water losses), among other measures. It also includes strengthening the human rights principles of participation, access to information and accountability in governance structures and decision-making processes. Further, where the provision of services is intended to provide profits for the provider or shareholders (whether publicly or privately owned), this imperative to extract profits can also increase costs for the user beyond levels of affordability, and prevent the company from reinvesting in the service (see Special Rapporteur's mission report for Brazil (2014), A/HRC/27/55/Add.1, para. 68).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Studies have shown evidence of a positive cost-benefit ratio. One analysis estimated that for each dollar invested in achieving universal access to basic drinking water at home, the average return is $4. For universal access to basic sanitation at home, the estimated benefit is $3, while the return on eliminating open defecation in rural areas is $6 per dollar spent. The safe management and treatment of wastewater has received less attention in cost-benefit analyses. While requiring large initial investments, in the long term the price of inaction is far greater than the cost of ensuring adequate wastewater management. Studies on the economic returns of sanitation interventions show that both septic tanks with treatment as well as sewerage networks with treatment have a positive cost-benefit ratio, for instance about 1:4 in the Philippines and about 1:3 in Vietnam.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 27
- Paragraph text
- A number of countries have set standards for affordability. For instance, a regulation in Indonesia explains that "Tariff shall meet the principle of affordability... if domestic expense on the fulfilment of the standard of basic need for drinking water does not exceed 4% (four per cent) of the income of subscribers". For some households, however, even a small proportion of their expenditure will be too much, and water and sanitation must be available for free in these instances.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- To ensure economic sustainability, some have argued for full cost recovery through tariffs, i.e. for water and sanitation service providers to charge full operational costs (and in some cases also construction and rehabilitation) to existing and future users. Where there are sufficient numbers of well-off people compared to those who are unable to pay the full cost of a service, full-cost recovery may be possible, with some cross-subsidization between the former and the latter. However, even in countries with a relatively well-off population, for sanitation services in particular, governments frequently provide significant amounts of public funding in order to make the service financially viable and to protect public health.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- In many developing countries, there are insufficient numbers of people who are well-off to provide a cross-subsidy. In these situations, full cost recovery only through tariffs will not be a feasible option. Public finance may be needed in such instances to ensure affordability for all households. To make such financing available and achieve affordability for all, as a first step States should make better use of budgets already allocated for water and sanitation, specifically to reduce inequalities in access to services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- The affordability of water and sanitation services and disconnections are inextricably linked, as in many instances the failure to pay for services leads to disconnection.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- Pre-paid water meters are suggested as an option for service providers to ensure that households and individuals pay for the water that they use, as they require payment in advance. This may lead to "silent disconnections" due to lack of ability to pay, and can be a violation of the human rights to water and sanitation. Therefore, plans to use pre-paid meters must be carefully examined before they are installed. Some pre-paid water meters will allow for access to a limited quantity of water even where the individual or household has not paid. The quantity, continuity and quality of water would need to be carefully assessed for human rights compliance.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Almost all large-scale water and sanitation systems receive some level of public financing. For sanitation in particular, while it has long been known that the costs of not having access far exceed the actual cost of providing access, it has been hoped that private sector participation would be sufficient to improve access to sanitation. However, more recently, research by the World Bank and others is beginning to show that it is unrealistic for the private sector to fill the service gap alone. States must be the driving force in investments in sanitation, in particular to cover the costs of constructing and maintaining infrastructure, and in some cases also for operation, for example where pit-emptying is prohibitively expensive.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- Public finance is very common in large-scale piped water and sewerage systems, with governments (and other funders, such as multilateral and bilateral donors) investing significantly in networks, water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants and trunk sewers. Provided that all households within a city are able to connect to use these services, this may be an efficient approach to ensuring that public finances are used well for water and sanitation service provision, even if it also results in subsidizing service provision for those who would not need such support to ensure affordability.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- In the majority of developing countries, piped water and sewerage systems are accessible only to a minority of those living in urban areas - and to very few of those living in rural areas. Focusing public finance on networked provision thus disproportionately benefits comparatively better-off households, unless specific action is taken to extend networked provision to all residents.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Public finance may also be provided for the maintenance and extension of water and sanitation services and facilities, including for connection charges. Where extensions are expected to reach all households, they can be an appropriate form of providing support to low-income households, as they will ensure more affordable and regular charges for water and sanitation than charges of informal provision.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 43
- Paragraph text
- Local governments often lack the capacity to support sustainable access to water and sanitation services, in particular in rural areas. As a result, donors and local governments have often turned to promoting community management approaches. Unfortunately, there continues to be a high rate of failure under community management. One study estimated that an average of 30 per cent of rural hand pumps in sub-Saharan Africa are not working, with the figure rising to as high as 65 per cent in some countries. Explanations for these situations include a lack of local technical skills, management capacity, spare parts, or funds to pay for the necessary repairs. Further, as people are understandably unwilling to pay for services that are unreliable, there is inadequate funding for repairs. Institutional reform, developing communities' capacity, and increased financial and human resources are therefore required to realize the human rights to water and sanitation in rural areas.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- On the other hand, significant inroads have been made through Community-Led Total Sanitation in expanding access to sanitation. Recognizing that improving sanitation relies to a large extent on practicing safe and hygienic sanitation, the approach focuses on mobilizing communities to analyse and improve the situation with regard to open defecation. Community-Led Total Sanitation is in principle opposed to the provision of subsidies based on the premise that subsidized sanitation often does not align with people's preferences and that such solutions have often been unsustainable by creating a culture of dependency.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Affordability of water and sanitation services 2015, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- The approach, or its implementation in particular cases, has encountered some criticism from the perspective of human rights, including concerns about the affordability of adequate sanitation for the most disadvantaged due to the lack of subsidies. Without external support, people living in extreme poverty may only be able to build very basic latrines and do not always have the means to afford maintenance and improvements. Some variants of Community-Led Total Sanitation are open to using external subsidies for the most disadvantaged in communities. Some suggest a sequencing approach to the use of public finance. While the initial investments in hardware are expected to be made by the community, public finance should be used in the long term to create the enabling environment for sustainable sanitation and ensuring public health, for instance for maintenance and pit emptying, or through public health interventions that promote sanitation and good hygiene practices. Some schemes have provided microfinance for the construction of latrines, which is then paid off over a two- or three-year time frame. This can be an effective way of spreading the cost, but affordability concerns will remain for the poorest households.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Poverty
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- N.A.
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph