Webinar: The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation

IWA Human Rights to Water and Sanitation

Target Audience

Operators and managers of private and public sector utilities, others with responsibilities for the formal or informal provision of drinking water supply and sanitation services, NGOs and other civil society groups, and government agencies at all levels, dealing with the planning, design, implementation, surveillance and regulation of drinking water supply and sanitation services.

Description

TIME: 10:00 hrs CET (GMT +1:00)

HOST: Robert Bos (WHO-Switzerland) and Carolina Latorre (IWA-Netherlands).

PANELLIST: Gerard Payen (AquaFed-France), Helgard Muller (Consultant- South Africa), Isabel Andrade (ERSAR – Portugal), Pascale Guiffant (Suez-France), Virginia Roaf (HR council) and Robert Gakubia (WASREB-Kenya)

THIS WEBINAR REQUIRES YOUR REGISTRATION. Please register by clicking on “sign up for this course”

To meet human rights obligations, national governments are the duty bearer, but in each country there are many actors. Working towards the progressive realization of the human rights to water and sanitation is a challenge to operators and regulators. Effective service provision that ensures equality and non-discrimination relies upon collective actions by interdependent stakeholders; climate change, migration and economic uncertainties will not make this task easier.

This webinar will be divided into two parts. The first part will introduce participants to the basic principles of the human rights to water and sanitation (HRWS), explain the criteria for progressive realization, clarify the roles and responsibilities of the various players, including operators and regulators, and will aim to dispel some misconceptions around HRWS.

The second part will focus on a specific criterion: affordability. It will review the practicalities of pursuing this criterion against the need for cost recovery to maintain a sustainable operation. Sustainability is, of course, in itself an important human rights principle. Affordability is, however, the only criterion not reflected in the targets of the water and sanitation SDG (SDG6). The webinar will analyse human rights issues from this perspective, and its implications for the daily routine of formal and informal service providers, and of regulators. Examples will illustrate the practicalities of reconciling the two concepts.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the session, participants will be able to

– Understand the concept and principles of the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, and what are some of the misconceptions around the subject
– Describe the basic operational principles that enable service providers & regulators to implement these rights into the daily routine
– Describe some of the main challenges and key aspects to consider when implementing practically the principles within the operation of water service providers