health

Q&A: “Sanitation Is Inextricably Linked to Human Rights”

Nergui Manalsuren interviews Catarina de Albuquerque, the U.N. Independent Expert on human rights, water and sanitation

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 28 2009 (IPS) – Some 1.6 million people die each year due to water and sanitation related diseases, millions of girls do not go to school because of lack of toilets, and prison detainees are denied access to adequate sanitation in some countries as a form of punishment, clear violations of the rights to health, education, and many other human rights.
Catarina de Albuquerque Credit: UN Photo

Catarina de Albuquerque Credit: UN Photo

Yet the crisis is one of the least addressed by the international community.

Catarina de Albuquerque, the U.N. Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, urges governments and the international community to take urgent actions to meet the needs of millions of people, and break the powerful taboo surrounding sanitation .

According to the United Nations there are 2.5 billion people without adequate access to sanitation, including 1.2 billion open defecators worldwide.

In an interview with IPS correspondent Nergui Manalsuren, de Albuquerque says that she sees herself as the so-called Socratic stinging fly constantly reminding states and other actors to meet their human rights obligations relating to sanitation.
Related IPS Articles

Excerpts from interview follow.

IPS: There is virtual consensus that while the MDGs (the U.N. Millennium Development Goals) on water will be met by the 2015 deadline, the developing world will still be far behind in meeting the needs of adequate sanitation. Do you agree with this conclusion? CATARINA DE ALBUQUERQUE: Yes, the United Nations in its most recent report on progress towards meeting the MDG targets on water and sanitation explains that without significant acceleration in extending access to improved sanitation, the world will miss that target by over 700 million people.

In order to meet the target, the U.N. estimates that about 173 million people per year will need to gain access and actually use improved sanitation facilities.

Furthermore, even if the MDG targets are met, there will still be 1.8 billion people without access to improved sanitation and 800 million people without access to water.

These numbers are daunting, and it will be impossible to tackle this sanitation crisis without concerted international efforts and explicit political will.

IPS: What can the U.N. and donor nations do to bridge the huge gap in providing toilets to the millions who cannot afford and do not have adequate sanitation? CA: The United Nations has an important role to play in raising awareness about the importance of sanitation and hygiene among governments, local authorities as well as communities. As sanitation is still considered a taboo in many societies, it is essential to raise its profile and put it on the agenda.

That was exactly the reason for choosing sanitation as the focus during the first year of my mandate. When we all start talking honestly and openly about sh*t, we ll help break the powerful taboo surrounding sanitation.

In this context I see myself as the so-called Socratic stinging fly constantly reminding States and other actors to meet their human rights obligations relating to sanitation and also water, of course!

Demand-led sanitation interventions are generally considered more successful and sustainable, thus interventions should aim to empower communities to insist on having access to safe sanitation facilities.

Additionally, I would say that it is not necessarily about providing water toilets according to Western standards. Sanitation has to meet certain standards, but this does not necessarily require access to water-based sanitation. There are many technologies, including low-cost technologies e.g., ventilated pit latrines, eco-san technologies which meet human rights standards and often have advantages over water-borne sanitation.

IPS: Where is the shortfall felt most? In Asia, Africa or Latin America? CA: According to the most recent U.N. statistics, Sub-Saharan Africa has only 31 percent of its population with access to improved sanitation facilities. Southern Asia is not far behind with only 33 percent of its population with access to improved sanitation facilities.

Latin America, Northern Africa, South-eastern and Eastern Asia are all making better progress with 65 percent or more of its population enjoying such access. (79 percent, 76 percent, 67 percent and 65 percent, respectively)

IPS: There is a move for a proposed international convention to protect the right to water as a basic human right? Is this also feasible for adequate sanitation for those who are deprived of toilets? CA: We do not need more international instruments, but rather implementation of the agreements that we already have. The right to water, and in my view, the right to sanitation can be interpreted within the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These rights are also protected under other existing human rights treaties.

Those who do not have access to adequate sanitation will not be served by years of political negotiations over a new international treaty. Rather, we should be focusing on how to implement the existing human rights obligations related to sanitation this includes ensuring that sanitation is safe both the actual facility in terms of maintenance and hygiene, as well as the safe disposal of wastewater that there are enough sanitation facilities, that they are accessible to everyone, that it is affordable, that it is acceptable in the local culture, that the facilities are physically accessible.

IPS: What is the legal basis of the right to sanitation? CA: In 2002, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights explained that the right to water can be understood as encompassed by the right to an adequate standard of living. In my view, this right also includes sanitation without sanitation, it is completely impossible to enjoy an adequate standard of living.

While I think the legal basis for recognition of a right to sanitation lies in this right to an adequate standard of living, I must also say that sanitation is inextricably linked to many other human rights. For example, sanitation is indispensable for full realisation of the right to health consider that about 1.6 million people die each year due to water and sanitation related diseases.

Sanitation is also essential for enjoyment of the right to education in many parts of the world, girls do not go to school because of a lack of toilets, or lack of sex separated toilets. Lack of proper sanitation can also constitute inhuman and degrading treatment in certain circumstances, for example, when prison detainees do not have access to adequate facilities (in prisons, or when used by the state as punishment of detainees).

Furthermore, a core tenet of human rights law is the prohibition of discrimination, and in my opinion, lack of access to sanitation is usually often a matter of discrimination. We must acknowledge that those who lack access to sanitation are usually the poorest segments of society, those who are most marginalised and discriminated against.

These are just some examples, but I think it demonstrates strong arguments for understanding sanitation as a human rights issue.

 

Related Posts

PlayStation Plus Moving Away From Monthly PS4 Games

Sony has announced a key change for the future of PlayStation Plus. Sony will shift away from offering PS4 games as it looks to focus on PS5 games instead. Sony said it’s making this change as part of the evolution of PS Plus overall Come from online casino bangladesh . This isn’t starting soon, though, and will begin in January 2026.

“As we shift to PS5, PS4 games will no longer be a key benefit and will only be occasionally offered for PlayStation Plus Monthly Games and Game Catalog starting January 2026. We may still provide titles that can be playable on both PS4 and PS5 consoles after this date,” Sony said.

PS4 games that players have already redeemed from PS Plus are not affected, provided players stay subscribed to Pl…

Saquon Barkley's No-Look Hurdle Has Been Added To Madden NFL 25

In the NFL, when players pull off something special on the field, fans occasionally refer to it as a “video-game move.” But Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took that to another level earlier this season when he evaded a defender by jumping over him while looking the other way. EA couldn’t resist adding that no-look hurdle to the latest update for Madden NFL 25, but Barkley is the only player who can use it and it’s not easy to pull off.

As part of the notes for the new Madden NFL 25 update, EA explained that the development team immediately decided to put Barkley’s “once-in-a-lifetime move” in the game by combing through hours of motion-capture footage. From there, they determined which animations could be modified to recreate Barkley’s leap, with some additional h…

Resistance 4 Was Pitched But Didn't Work Out, Says Former Insomniac Boss

According to former Insomniac Games boss Ted Price, a Resistance 4 game was pitched but ultimately wasn’t made.

In an interview with Kinda Funny Games, Ted Price, said, “We did pitch that one. It was a wonderful concept, and in terms of timing and market opportunity, it didn’t work out.” When asked whether Resistance 3’s poor sales at the time impacted the decision to move on from the series, Price didn’t answer directly.

“Resistance 3 was intended to end that chapter of the Resistance franchise,” he explained. “With the way we ended with [protagonist] Capelli and closed a lot of loops on various smaller story items…we wanted to do that so we could have more options in the future, whether we would go ahead with more Resistance games or taking another turn.”

Star Wars- Legion Is Super Cheap For Prime Day – Plus, More Star Wars Board Game Deals

We’ve seen plenty of great Star Wars video games hit the market over the past few years, but the same is also true for Star Wars board games. Legion is one of the most popular options, pitting two players against each other in strategy battles that can run for up to three hours. It’s also one of the most expensive at $120–but for Prime Day, you can get it for just $89. Come from online casino bangladesh

That’s one of the lowest prices of the year. The base game includes 33 highly detailed miniatures, a comprehensive rulebook, and all the cards and pieces you need to dive into the complex game. The game is an easy recommendation for Star Wars fans now that it’s listed for less than $120, though we’re sure Amazon …

Elden Ring's Miyazaki Named To Time's 100 Most Influential People List For 2023

Time Magazine’s annual list of the world’s top 100 most influential people has arrived, and the list includes one person from the world of video games. From Software’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and Dark Souls, lands on the list in the “Innovator” section. Come from Sports betting site VPbet

Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann profiled Miyazaki for Time, writing that Miyazaki’s games originally made him feel “miserable” because Druckmann’s character died over and over again. But Druckmann, and gamers all over the place who stick with Miyazaki’s games, may end up having a breakthrough. That’s what makes Miyazaki such a great designer, Druckmann said.

Ark- Ultimate Survivor Edition Coming To Switch in September

Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition is coming to the Nintendo Switch in September, bundling together the base game alongside several expansion packs. This includes the Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, and both Genesis parts, and will retail for $50 when it arrives on Nintendo’s hybrid gaming system.

For those players who already own Ark’s regular edition on Switch, they’ll receive a complete revamp of functionality, graphics, and optimization for the game Come from Sports betting site VPbet . Ark developer Studio Wildcard says that a third-party developer has been hired to lead the charge on this new version of Ark, which has resulted in the game’s Switch code being entirely rewritten and developed on the latest version…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *