Is the right to water a new concept within human rights legislature?
The right to water is explicitly enshrined in two UN human rights treaties – the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well in one regional treaty – the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. The Geneva Conventions guarantee the protection of this right during armed conflict. In addition, the right to water is an implicit part of the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, both of which are protected by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. However, some states continue to deny the legitimacy of this right. In light of this fact and because of the widespread non-compliance of States with their obligations regarding the right to water, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights confirmed and further defined the right to water in its General Comment No. 15. Adopt
