A/HRC/RES/18/1
3.
Acknowledges with appreciation the third annual report of the Special
Rapporteur,1 and takes note with interest of her recommendations and clarifications with
regard to national and local planning for the implementation of the right to safe drinking
water and sanitation;
4.
Welcomes the submission of the compilation of good practices on the right to
safe drinking water and sanitation,2 in which the Special Rapporteur put particular emphasis
on practical solutions with regard to the implementation of the human right to safe drinking
water and sanitation;
5.
Reaffirms that States have the primary responsibility to ensure the full
realization of all human rights, and must take steps, nationally and through international
assistance and cooperation, especially economic and technical, to the maximum of its
available resources, to achieve progressively the full realization of the right to safe drinking
water and sanitation by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of
legislative measures in the implementation of their human rights obligations;
6.
Also reaffirms the important role that national plans of action can play as
tools for the promotion and protection of human rights, as highlighted in the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights
on 25 June 1993, including for the promotion and protection of the human right to safe
drinking water and sanitation;
7.
Calls upon States:
(a)
To continuously monitor and regularly analyse the status of the realization of
the right to safe drinking water and sanitation on the basis of the criteria of availability,
quality, acceptability, accessibility and affordability;
(b)
To assess existing policies, programmes and activities in the sectors of water
and sanitation, giving due consideration to waste-water management, including treatment
and reuse, and to monitor resources allocated to increase adequate access, as well as to
identify actors and their capacity;
(c)
To develop comprehensive plans and strategies, including the definition of
responsibilities for all water and sanitation sector actors, to achieve progressively the full
realization of the right to safe drinking water and sanitation for all, or re-examine and revise
them where necessary to ensure consistency with human rights standards and principles;
(d)
To assess whether the existing legislative and policy framework is in line
with the right to safe drinking water and sanitation, and to repeal, amend or adapt it in order
to meet human rights standards and principles;
(e)
To ensure full transparency of the monitoring and assessment of the
implementation of plans of action, projects and programmes in the sectors of water and
sanitation and to ensure, including in the planning process, the free, effective, meaningful
and non-discriminatory participation of all people and communities concerned, particularly
people living in disadvantaged, marginalized and vulnerable situations;
(f)
To set access targets to be reached in short-time periods for universal service
provision, giving priority to realizing a basic level of service for everyone before improving
service levels for those already served;
1
2
A/HRC/18/33.
A/HRC/18/33/Add.1.
3