MONITORING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

WATER AND SANITATION

VISION

“a world in which water resources management and governance secure human rights and sustainable development for everyone.”

MISSION

     MISSION 

“Sustainable solutions based on human rights to improve water governance worldwide.”

OUR IDENTITY

Identity: International public-interest development organization and membership association UN - ECOSOC consultative status.

Objective: Assisting key stakeholders in making the human right to water a realityPartners:    Academics at 15 universities; Global Water Partnership; UN-Water; UNDP Cap-Net, GWS; UNEP GWI; UNECE; UN ECOSOC; Swiss Water Partnership; NGOs (e.g., IUCN, Freshwater Action Network)

OUR ACTIVITIES

Legal Desk:Research and PublicationsHelps shape consistent water law and policy frameworks that

promote effective water governance and human rights compliance;Capacity building activities for a wide range of stakeholders

(Parliamentarians, NHRIs, CSOs, Legal Professionals, etc.);

Operations Desk: Elaboration of national action plans for the realization of HRWS based on

country mappings and other assessments; Field assistance/training for governments, civil society networks;Tools and learning materials for various stakeholders.

WHY DEAL WITH WATER?

REALITIES

Recognition of the human right to water and sanitation – IMPLEMENTATION IS LAGGING BEHIND 

768 million people do not use an improved source of drinking-water.

- Over 306 million are in Africa

2.5 billion people lack access to an improved sanitation facility.

- Over 569 million in Africa

HRBA IS “GAME CHANGER”

•Redefinition of access: 4.1 billion without sanitation, 1.6 billion without safe water ensures shift in priorities requiring focus on marginalised groups: women, low income groups, rural areas, informal settlements, etc.

requires monitoring of impact on poorest groups which MDG’s failed to do 

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS WATER

INITIATIVE

WTERLEX = SECRETARIAT

1. Create a network of NHRIs that can exchange experiences and best practices with each other;

2. Support and build the capacity of NHRIs to strengthen their role in ensuring a human rights based approach to water governance.

ACTIVITIES IN 2014 

Capacity building activities: 1. Regional training for Central American

NHRIs in El Salvador:NHRIs of El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa

Rica, Panama, Nicaragua

2. NHRI of Mexico

3. Regional training in Uganda: NHRIs of Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia,

Tanzania

Publication on the good practices of NHRIs on water governance and human rights 

REGIONAL TRAINING FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN NHRIs IN EL SALVADOR

REGIONAL TRAINING IN UGANDA

COMPLIATION OF GOOD PRACTICES OF NHRIs AND WATER GOVERNANCE

CONTENT 

21 NHRIs are covered worldwide:Concrete examples of practices 

adopted by various NHRIs worldwide

Summaries of NHRIs’ water governance activities: outline of several institutions` work in relation to water governance.

Challenges and Obstacles: existing and future challenges and obstacles encountered by participating NHRIs. HARD COPIES ARE AVAILABLE 

EXAMPLES Promotion of water governance related human rights: e.g. statements, press releases, trainings etc. Protection of water governance related human rights:e.g. investigate complaints, aggregate complaints to address systematic deficiencies, seize courts, address the government etc. Monitoring water governance related human rights:e.g. adoption of special mechanism for monitoring – AAAQ Toolbox of the DIHR, field missions, national hearings etc. Advising the government and the parliament: e.g. review water related legislation/water budget, review water related polities etc. Cooperation and coordination with various organs: e.g. international cooperation with other NHRIs, universities, civil society etc.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015

NHRI NETWORK ACTIVITIES

1. Training toolkit for NHRIs on water governance and human rights

2. On-line common platform to share information, facilitate exchange among NHRIs on water governance

3. Capacity building activities on water governance and human rights for NHRIs

WANT TO JOIN?

•International network of more than 20 NHRIs worldwide

•Letter of intent to join the network

•Network mapping questionnaire

•Training needs assessment questionnaire

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

•Human rights approach 

•Importance of NHRIs in the post 2015 accountability mechanism: NHRIs can give practical effect to

the commitments contained in the SDGs at national and international level.

NHRIs are uniquely placed to ensure a human rights based monitoring of the implementation of the post-2015 Agenda.

Role of NHRIs vis-à-vis the indicators of the SDGs (collection of data etc.)

Importance of SDG indicators Current indicators are missing important

dimensions, such as equitable access and affordability:

TARGET 6.1:  - This indicator does not measure equitable access (measure the progressive elimination of inequalities between population sub-groups)

- This indicator leaves out affordability (measures whether payment for services does not present a barrier to access)

TARGET 6.2: - hygiene is not fully measured (hand washing is only part of it).

- The indicators should be also looking at access to menstrual hygiene management (special needs of women and girls).

OWG REPORT – PROPOSED GOAL NR. 6

OWG REPORT – PROPOSED GOAL NR. 6

Environmental component, increasingly important in a world with env. degradation and climate change. What water do we leave future generations?

6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and increasing recycling and safe reuse by [x] per cent globally

6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes

Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (Water and Sanitation):

National Human Rights Institutions can play a crucial role

THANK YOU! JAN VAN DE VENIS

LEGAL DESK DIRECTOR

j.vandevenis@waterlex.org