World Water Day 2011
Every human being needs water to survive. Yet, we have had to fight for governments to recognize access to clean and safe water as a universal right. Finally, last October, the United Nations Human Rights Council officially recognized that the right to water is contained in existing human rights treaties, affirming it as a legally binding obligation.
But there is more to be done. The next step in the process of making clean and safe water accessible is for our governments to put their human rights commitments into action. All UN member states must devise and implement a plan of action showing how they will make the right to water a reality – and the Obama Administration must be part of this effort.
With your support, we can create a world with clean water for all
Project Update: Expanding Access to Safe Water for Indigenous Women in Kenya
Ongoing drought in Kenya has put millions of people at risk of hunger and starvation. For women who play a primary role in securing clean water for their families, these severe droughts create new burdens.
Project Update: Engineering a Solution for Clean Water in Nicaragua
In the North Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua, Indigenous Peoples often live without health or sanitation services, a result of government neglect and marginalization. MADRE and our sister organization, Wangki Tangni, are working together to reduce the incidence of water-borne disease and build a clean water culture.
Updates from Nicaragua on World Water Day
Today, Rose Cunningham, the Director of Wangki Tangni, sent an update about a group of engineers that are currently visiting. The engineers will be able to work with Wangki Tangni to repair approximately 10 water wells, install 2 water pumps and provide education on hygiene and sanitation to bring clean water to Indigenous families and their communities.
A Call for Action on the Right to Water
In celebration of World Water Day, MADRE is calling on you to take action. Tell President Obama that his Administration must produce a plan of action to uphold the right to water.
Project Update: Looking for Clean Water in Occupied Gaza
Gaza’s water crisis is one of the most urgent humanitarian crises in the region. In Gaza City, many houses have running water only once a week, and in some of the poorest communities, families do not have taps in or near their homes. As a result, women and their families are left without clean drinking water.
MADRE Resources
Water for All
Why Water Rights are Women's Rights
Additional Water Resources
Blue Planet Project
General Comment on the Right to Water
July 2010 Bolivian General Assembly Resolution
October 2010 Human Rights Council Ruling
UN Water
Right to Water
Council of Canadians
