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Water and sanitation

Clean water and sanitation – recently recognised by the United Nations as basic human rights – are critical to good health. They help prevent disease. Yet billions of people have no ready access to safe water. It is an essential service that governments must provide to protect their citizens and serve their common good. Read more here

European Commission gives green light for water as a Human Right

16 May 2012
Boy drinking water

The European Commission has accepted and registered an initiative from the campaign “Water is a Human Right” .

South Africa produces water of highest quality

11 May 2012
Children drinking water

A recent water quality report indicates that the water in many municipalities in South Africa is of very high quality. The workers who collect, store, purify and deliver the water supply should be appreciated, says SAMWU.

7 out of 10 wants renationalization of water services

10 May 2012
Water tap

UK Opinion poll reveals that 70 per cent of population wants renationalization of water services.

Global unions hold silent protests. ADB’s inaction to pro-worker calls

04 May 2012
GUFs protest at the AGM of ADB

Members of the Global Union Federations (GUFs) led a silent protest Friday at the opening of the Governors’ Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) against the financial institution’s continued inaction to their calls to protect and promote workers’ rights in all its projects.

City of Brussels supports water as a Human Right

23 April 2012

On April 1st the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) sponsored a European Citizens Initiative calling for water to be implemented as a Human Right.

Public Services International and the Rio+20 Summit

12 April 2012
Logo for people's summit at rio+20

The Rio+20 Summit comes amidst the climate, food and economic crises we have been experiencing in recent years.

The crisis of capitalism is forcing corporations to seek new sources of profit, and to ensure that they don't lose the ones they already have. Their lobby has been preparing for the Rio +20 summit, defining the concept of Green Economy to serve corporate purposes. It is being used as a clever cover to justify the commodification and financialisation of natural resources, which are key ingredients for their profits.

Tags: 
Energy
Human rights
Privatisation
Public Funding/Taxation
Water and sanitation
Climate change

Implementing the Right to Water in the green economy

21 March 2012
Demonstration at the alternative water forum

Water Justice activists, including PSI unions, have successfully pushed the human right to water and sanitation (RTW) onto the global agenda. The UN General Assembly Resolution 64/292 of 2010 has set the standard for government obligations in ensuring universal access. Many national campaigns insist that governments adopt RTW and implement universal access to water and sanitation. Unions are working with a broad range of allies at global, regional, national and local levels.