Conflict and Cooperation over Water - The Role of the EU in Ensuring the Realisation of Human Rights
The human right to water has been firmly established and its implications for policy-making have been discussed in many fields. Thus far, this has hardly been the case for conflicts over water. This study discusses what it means to integrate human rights in the context of governing water and addressing conflicts over water. A human rights perspective on conflicts over water will help formulating equitable water governance strategies. To support such developments, the EU should integrate human rights in policies and other measures to address water conflicts at all levels. The EU’s activities should be guided by the human rights principles of non-discrimination and equality; participation and access to information; accountability and access to justice; and a priority for water uses as far as they are necessary for the realisation of human rights. This relates to internal legislation and policies, development cooperation, engagement in transboundary basins, political dialogues with partner countries, international fora such as the UN Human Rights Council, and the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. The European Parliament, specifically, should support such initiatives with resolutions, engagement in UN and inter-parliamentary fora, and enhancement of public awareness.
Study
External author
Inga WINKLER (NYU Center for Human Rights & Global Justice, the United States)
About this document
Publication type
Keyword
- Africa
- America
- anti-discriminatory measure
- Asia and Oceania
- basic needs
- construction and town planning
- cooperation policy
- cross-border cooperation
- drinking water
- East Africa
- EC Directive
- economic conditions
- economic geography
- economic policy
- ECONOMICS
- Egypt
- ENVIRONMENT
- environmental policy
- European construction
- EUROPEAN UNION
- European Union law
- GEOGRAPHY
- groundwater
- human rights
- international law
- international law
- INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- Latin America
- LAW
- Middle East
- natural environment
- political geography
- rights and freedoms
- social affairs
- social conflict
- SOCIAL QUESTIONS
- social rights
- sustainable development
- the EU's international role
- United Nations
- UNO
- use of water
- water consumption
- water requirements
- water resources
- water supply