A/HRC/30/39/Add.2
marginalized groups. Kenya has also ratified a number of regional human rights treaties,
such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Charter on the
Rights and Welfare of the Child; the latter obliges States parties to take measures to ensure
the provision of adequate nutrition and safe drinking water.
5.
Safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right, derived from the right to an
adequate standard of living, which is enshrined in, inter alia, article 11 of the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This right was explicitly recognized by
the General Assembly in its resolution 64/292 and by the Human Rights Council in its
resolution 15/9.
6.
To be more specific, the human right to water and sanitation entitles everyone,
without discrimination, to have access to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible
and affordable water for personal and domestic use, and to have physical and affordable
access to sanitation, in all spheres of life, that is safe, hygienic, secure and acceptable, and
that provides privacy and ensures dignity. This content of the right was explicitly
recognized by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 24/18 and reaffirmed in its
resolution 27/7. The realization of the human right to water and sanitation also requires
ensuring access to adequate and affordable hygiene practices, including hand washing and
menstrual hygiene management, that ensure privacy and dignity. Furthermore, effective
measures have to be taken to ensure adequate disposal and treatment of human waste,
including of wastewater. Even in cases of delegation of service delivery to third parties
(private or public companies, for instance), the Government is required to regulate its
activities to ensure that all aspects of the human right are guaranteed, prioritizing
disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
7.
Kenya was one of the first States to explicitly recognize the human rights to water
and sanitation in national legislation. In article 43 of its Constitution of 2010, Kenya
recognizes those rights by stating that every person has the rights to reasonable standards of
sanitation and to clean and safe water in adequate quantities. Such an explicit recognition is
a critical first step, since it provides a strong legal foundation for, and demonstrates a clear
commitment to, realizing these rights for everyone in the country. In addition, article 56 of
the Constitution provides that the State is to put in place affirmative action programmes
designed to ensure that minorities and marginalized groups have reasonable access to water,
health services and infrastructure, among other things. This is a uniquely strong provision,
which reiterates a core human rights principle of equality and non-discrimination.
8.
The Water Act of 2002 is the principal legal instrument in this sector; it provides for
the management, conservation, use and control of water resources and for the regulation and
management of water supply and sewerage services. It does not contain any reference to the
human rights to water and sanitation. The Act provides the basis for the commencement of
comprehensive reforms in the water sector, including definitions of the roles of the relevant
actors. The Water Services Regulatory Board was established to set standards for the
provision of water and sewerage services and to regulate service providers. The Water
Resources Management Authority, the water services boards, the Water Appeal Board and the
Water Services Trust Fund were also established under the Act.
9.
Following the adoption of the Constitution of 2010, the Water Bill was drafted to
provide for the regulation, management and development of water resources and water and
sewerage services in line with the Constitution. Once the Bill enters into force, it will
replace the Water Act of 2002. The Bill, which was gazetted on 17 March 2014 and was
before the Parliament at the time of the visit, restates water and sanitation as human rights.
The Bill prescribes the devolution of water and sanitation services in line with the
Constitution, and proposes that water and sewerage services be provided by county-owned
water service providers.
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