(l-r) Gabriella Zanzanaini, Martin Pigeon, Meera Karunananthan, Heide Ruhle, a representative from Jose Bove’s office, Rosario Crocetta, a staffperson from Crocetta’s office.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton stated yesterday, “The EU acknowledges the recent recognition of the human right to water and sanitation by the UN General Assembly, and the Human Rights Council’s specification that this right is part of the human right to an adequate standard of living.”
On July 15, 2010, just two weeks before the UN General Assembly recognized the right to water and sanitation, Meera Karunananthan of the Council of Canadians, Gabriella Zanzanaini of Food and Water Europe and Martin Pigeon of Corporate Europe Observatory presented a letter to the European Parliament calling on them to support the UN resolution. The letter was received by MEPs Heide Ruhle and Rosario Crocetta and a representative from MEP Jose Bove’s office.
This year’s statement by Ashton builds on last year’s World Water Day position when, “the European Union reaffirmed that all States bear human rights obligations regarding access to safe drinking water, which must be available, physically accessible, affordable and acceptable. The EU also recognizes that the human rights obligations regarding access to safe drinking water and to sanitation are closely related with individual human rights – as the rights to housing, food and health. But even more than being related to individual rights, access to safe drinking water is a component element of the right to an adequate standard of living and is closely related to human dignity. The EU acknowledges the fact that several United Nations bodies, civil society organizations, experts, practitioners, governments and others call for a broader recognition of the human right to water. Access to adequate and safe sanitation constitutes one of the principal mechanisms for protecting the quality of drinking water. The EU applauds the efforts taken by some countries – including a number of EU member states – to improve this tragic situation, by taking specific measures, including legislative ones, at the national and international levels to improve access to safe drinking water and to sanitation.”
Yesterday’s statement by Ashton can be read at http://www.iewy.com/20472-declaration-by-the-high-representative-catherine-ashton-on-behalf-of-the-european-union-on-the-occasion-of-the-world-and-european-water-day.html.
