Jul. 21, 2010 - Issue #770: Draw It Yourself
News Roundup
Water is a right
The universal right to water may be in the last stages of being approved by the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution is being presented by the Bolivian government, but, according to the Council of Canadians, Canada may be acting as a strong opposition by rallying other countries to weaken the wording.
In 2008-09 Council of Canadians chair Maude Barlow served as the UN's Senior advisor on water. She believes the adoption of the statement by the GA is one of the most important things the assembly will do. "It's time politics caught up with reality," says Barlow, noting that nearly two billion people live in water-stressed areas of the world and three billion have no running water within a kilometre of their homes. "It's time states finally recognize water as essential to life and a fundamental human right."
According to UNICEF 50 percent of the developing world's population lacks water sanitation facilities and over 884 million people use unsafe drinking water. UNICEF and the World Health Organization define access to safe drinking water as within 1km from place of use and that 20 litres of water can be reliably obtained for a household per day. The draft resolution would recognize the human right to "safe and clean drinking water and sanitation" and would be voted on by the GA before the end of July.
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