Catarina de Albuquerque
The Human Rights Education Associaton reports, “The Human Rights Council closed its eighteenth regular session (on Oct. 3), adopting 33 texts on a wide range of issues” including the right to water, the right to the environmentally sound disposal of hazardous waste, and human rights relating to climate change.
The right to water: “On the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, the Council acknowledged with appreciation the third annual report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, and welcomed the submission of the compilation of good practices on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation, in which the Special Rapporteur put particular emphasis on practical solutions with regard to the implementation of the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. It also called upon States to continuously monitor and regularly analyze the status of the realization of the right to safe drinking water and sanitation on the basis of the criteria of availability, quality, acceptability, accessibility and affordability.”
The Council of Canadians issued a media release on this on September 29, http://canadians.org/media/water/2011/29-Sep-11-2.html.
The right to water in Gaza: “On Monday, 26 September, the Council heard the report of the Secretary-General on progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza conflict and the report of the High Commissioner on the implementation of resolution 16/32. It was followed by a general debate, in which speakers said Israel should immediately lift the illegal blockade imposed on Gaza and implement the recommendations contained in the Fact-Finding Mission.”
To read our blog from September 14 on de Albuquerque’s comments with respect to the right to water in Gaza, http://canadians.org/blog/?p=10455.
The right to the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous waste: “On the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights obligations related to environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, the Council decided to extend the mandate, with the new title of Special Rapporteur on the human rights obligations related to environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, for a further period of three years, and called upon countries to facilitate the work of the Special Rapporteur by providing information and inviting him to undertake country visits.”
The Council of Canadians is campaigning against Schedule 2, a provision that allows for the dumping of mine tailings in freshwater lakes in Canada. This work has focused on Teztan Biny/ Fish Lake in British Columbia and Sandy Pond in Newfoundland. To read more, http://canadians.org/schedule2.
Human rights and climate change: “On human rights and climate change, the Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene, prior to the nineteenth session of the Human Rights Council, a seminar on addressing the adverse impacts of climate change on the full enjoyment of human rights and invite States and other relevant stakeholders, including academic experts, civil society organizations and representatives of those segments of the population most vulnerable to climate change, to participate.”
We have repeatedly stated that climate justice and water justice are inseparable, and that the climate crisis impacts the human right to water. To read more, http://canadians.org/blog/?p=2262. The 19th session of the Human Rights Council takes place in March 2012.
The periodic review of human rights: “In the context of its Universal Periodic Review procedure, the Council adopted the outcomes of the reports of its Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review on Belgium, Denmark, Palau, Somalia, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Latvia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Suriname, Greece, Samoa, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Hungary and Papua New Guinea.”
Canada’s compliance to human rights obligations will next be reviewed in 2013, likely in February of that year. The Council of Canadians intends to intervene on this occasion given the Harper government’s refusal to recognize or take action to implement the human right to water and sanitation.
