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Washing clothes in Manila
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COHRE's Right to Water Programme
The COHRE Right to Water Programme (RWP) was established in January 2002 to advocate for reforms in international, national and local governance to achieve the right to water for all. This development reflected the emphasis placed by communities living in informal settlements on water, sanitation and other basic services as key components of their housing rights.
The RWP carries out its mandate through the following activities:
- Supporting national implementation of the right to water and sanitation. The RWP provides legal and policy advice and training to governments, NGOs and community-groups. In cooperation with national NGOs and community groups, it reviews the extent to which national governance on water and sanitation is consistent with international human rights law, and makes recommendations on improvement.
The RWP has been providing training to communities in the outskirts of Buenos Aires on their rights, assisted them carry out research and advocacy and consistently advocated with relevant government departments to ensure that regulations and policies were designed to implement the right to water. In Kenya, the RWP has carried out trainings for community groups, NGOs and municipal officials since 2005 and is supporting a campaign for access to basic services in Kibera.
- Building international capacity for implementation of the right to water and sanitation through publications, training and information provision. The RWP aims to assist policy makers and implementers to integrate the right to water and sanitation into their activities at the international and national level. Key publications include Legal Resources for the Right to Water, currently the most detailed publication of international and national standards and jurisprudence on the right to water, and Monitoring the Right to Water: A Framework for Developing Indicators. The RWP has carried out training sessions for international civil society networks and awareness-raising sessions at international conferences such as the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the UN Commission on Human Rights.
- Promoting stronger international standards on the right to water and sanitation. The RWP has been instrumental in providing legal advice for, and promoting new standards in this area, such as UN General Comment No. 15 on the Right to Water (2002) and the UN Sub-Commission Guidelines for the Realization of the Right to Drinking Water and Sanitation (2006). It also carries out direct Government lobbying and mobilises civil society with the objective of promoting UN Human Rights Council action to strengthen the practical recognition of the right to water and sanitation and to establish mechanisms for its implementation.
For more information please contact:
COHRE Right to Water Programme
Programme Coordinator
Email: water@cohre.org
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