The protection of the human environment : water as a human right

Abstract

As a society, we must understand that everything and anything that influences our environment directly influences our human conditions, and a violation of our environment is a violation of our human rights. Worldwide, more than fifty-one million people die annually. Nearly a third of these deaths are due to the lack of access to water and to water- related diseases, which constitute the main cause of world mortality rates. Access to adequate amounts of clean water, for both consumption and sanitation, is a necessity for a healthy life. There are certain basic needs that are essential for a dignified life, and for life itself. Water is one of these essential human needs that should be protected and preserved. Water is a key to improved health, improved nutrition and quality of life. Water is a common resource and we all have an equal right to this precious resource and a responsibility to protect it. The recognition of water as a human right is a necessary step for the achievement of the most fundamental human rights. The legal obligation that ensues from the acknowledgement of a right to water is a needed precondition to effective action and change.