Human Rights Approach to Water and Sanitation

Advancing the progressive realization of the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation is one of the guiding principles of the Fund’s interventions. This implies that populations have sufficient, healthy, and acceptable water that is physically accessible, economically affordable, and sanitation services. The Fund’s actions also promote sustainable, participatory, and transparent water management, focusing on universal access and paying particular attention to the most vulnerable and fragile areas and countries.

In 2022, it is worth mentioning the presentation of the Self-diagnosis Tool for the Incorporation of the perspective of the human rights to water and sanitation (HRWSS) in the municipal management of water and sanitation services in Latin America. An initiative aimed at supporting local governments to advance in the progressive incorporation of the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation. The objective is to strengthen their capacity to plan, regulate, and provide such services, favoring participation and social auditing by the beneficiary population.

This is an anonymous access tool that allows users to self-evaluate themselves and establish lines of work in those aspects where they discover the most significant shortcomings.

The tool was presented for the first time at the LATINOSAN Sanitation Conference after a first «Validation» workshop in Bolivia.

In 2022, the Water Fund participated in the World Water Forum held in Dakar in March. There, the FCAS led a session on the Realization of the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, with the participation of the UN Special Rapporteur on this issue, Pedro Arrojo, the Secretary of State, Pilar Cancela, and representatives of partner countries and civil society.

In addition, as in previous years, work continued to implement the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation in all the Fund’s live portfolio programs through workshops and specific training and awareness-raising activities.