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News / 27 november 2008

17 December: Political Café Water right NOW!

There are still over one billion people who have no access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The increasing scarcity of water around the world makes the problem all the more urgent. However, the growing international recognition of the right to water and sanitation is the first step in the right direction. This right gives poor and vulnerable groups the ability to stand up to political neglect. It empowers them to approach national and international courts of justice to demand clean drinking water.

 

The European Union is the world's biggest donor in the water sector and claims to be an advocate of human rights. But there are huge differences between member countries in terms of how centrally their development policies place these rights or put them into practice, especially where it comes to access to water and sanitation. This, while all member countries have signed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which includes MDG 7: halving the number of people in the world who have no access to clean drinking water and sanitation.

Join the debate on how EU countries can work together to turn talk into action and cement the right to water around the world. Perhaps through a combined policy with the World Bank or UN? Applying the right to water could be an important means to reach at least one of the MDGs by 2015.

The panel is made up of:

  • Jorge Mora Portuguez, Freshwater Action Network, Central America;
  • Hameda Deedat, Umzabalaso We Jubilee, South Africa;
  • A representative of the British government;
  • A human rights specialist.

On wednesday 17 December from 5 to 7 pm we welcome you at the Nutshuis, Riviervismarkt 5, The Hague. This Political Café is organised by the MFI Information Centre of Both ENDS; for more information please contact Anouk Franck.

 

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