scholarly journals Challenges to the human right to water and to the sustainability of services in Santa Cruz, Cabo Verde

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-226
Author(s):  
Larissa Helena Ferreira Varela
Keyword(s):  
High Water ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Social Solidarity ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Cabo Verde ◽  
Equipment Replacement ◽  
Access To Water

Abstract Ensuring access to water in adequate quantity and quality for human consumption at a fair and affordable price constitutes a supra-national commitment in the declaration of the human right to water and sanitation. In order to provide this service to society, financial resources are required to encourage new investment, maintenance and equipment replacement, adequate regulatory practices and a consistent legal framework. This article is based on a study of the affordability of water services by customers in the municipality of Santa Cruz, located on the island of Santiago in Cabo Verde, a country of high water stress and weak financial resources, in order to evaluate how socioeconomic conditions affect the realization of the human right to water. Data on socio-economic conditions, quality of services and affordability of clients was collected using survey tools, aiming to identify the need for differential treatment among consumers, requiring appropriate mechanisms of social solidarity to establish equity in access to services and, at the same time, ensure full cost recovery of services by the service provider.

Towards a water balanced utilization through circular economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 572-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahmi Eneng ◽  
Kris Lulofs ◽  
Chay Asdak
Keyword(s):  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
High Water ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Water Conflict ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relative Water ◽  
Access To Water

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe and explain the relative water scarcity condition as one of the main problems encountered in Indonesia. It is caused by fierce competition between water users, water over consumption and high water price. The water conflict and increasing phenomena of relative water scarcity result in unequal access to water between the rich and the poor. This research is intended to contribute to a balanced water governance system that secures equal and fair access to water resources for all users. Design/methodology/approach A mixed method approach was used involving interviews with the owners of the established bottled water companies, the community leaders, guard for sluice gate, local NGOs and several government agencies. Findings Research results indicate that water policies and implementation are lacking coherency. It is also shown that the complex government structure with responsibilities divided over multiple agencies is responsible for this. The circular economy for water governance system used to find alternative solutions for reducing social conflicts so that the water will be made available to those who have no water access. Research limitations/implications This research used only one location with a representative number of interviewees; hence, the findings are not possibly generalizable. Originality/value The combination of water legal framework and circular economy concept was used to reduce water scarcity

The water governance challenge: the discrepancy between what is and what should be

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 799-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Ravnborg ◽  
K. M. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Water Policy ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Governance Reform ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Water Research ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
The Right

In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights. Yet, findings from the Competing for Water research programme suggest that all too often, people in need of water for domestic purposes lose out to people and companies who claim access to water for productive purposes. Likewise, in many countries, specific water authorities at national as well as basin and watershed level have been formed and assigned the responsibility to allocate water according to the water policy and the associated legal framework. Yet, findings from the Competing for Water research programme show that real-world water allocation takes place through a wide array of institutions, ranging from the rural community, over agreements mediated by local lawyers, district officials and non-governmental organisations, to decisions made in the president's office. The Competing for Water programme entails empirical research conducted in Bolivia, Mali, Nicaragua, Vietnam and Zambia. Based on findings from this research, this paper identifies the discrepancies between statutory and actual water governance, analyses the underlying causes and explores the implications for ongoing water governance reform.

scholarly journals Challenges Facing Small and Medium Water Service Providers in Kenya: A Case of Amatsi Water Services Company, Vihiga County

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Edwin Kanda ◽  
Odiero James ◽  
Valery O. Lutta ◽  
Basil T.I Ong’or
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Collection Efficiency ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Water Service ◽  
Sanitation Services ◽  
Revenue Collection ◽  
Governance Challenges ◽  
Access To Water

The access to water services is a fundamental human right. Water and sanitation services coverage in Kenya is low even with the implementation of reforms in the sector initiated in 2002. Small and medium Water Service Providers (WSP) face numerous challenges which are stifling their ability to sustainably fulfil their mandates without relying on subsidies from state or non-state entities. The aim of this study was to analyse the challenges facing water utilities in rural Counties using Amatsi Water Services Company as a case study. The performance of the WSP was analysed for 2014 to 2017 and the challenges as depicted were classified into technical and economic parameters. The legal framework was also examined and its possible influence on the operation of the WSP. The main problems affecting small and medium WSPs include high non-revenue water, low metering of connections, low revenue collection efficiency, high operation and maintenance costs, governance challenges, insufficient funding and low quality of service. Furthermore, it is important for legislative clarity on the relationship among the institutions created by the Water Act 2016. 

ELEVATED CONCENTRATIONS OF FLUORIDE, BORON AND ARSENIC IN GROUNDWATER USED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SAN PEDRO, SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Ormachea ◽  
◽  
Lizangela Huallpara ◽  
José Luis Aróstegui García ◽  
Prosun Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Human Consumption ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
San Pedro ◽  
Arsenic In Groundwater

scholarly journals The Human Right to Water and Unconventional Energy

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 1858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Palmer ◽  
Damien Short ◽  
Walter Auch
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
The Right

Access to water, in sufficient quantities and of sufficient quality is vital for human health. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (in General Comment 15, drafted 2002) argued that access to water was a condition for the enjoyment of the right to an adequate standard of living, inextricably related to the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and thus a human right. On 28 July 2010 the United Nations General Assembly declared safe and clean drinking water and sanitation a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights. This paper charts the international legal development of the right to water and its relevance to discussions surrounding the growth of unconventional energy and its heavy reliance on water. We consider key data from the country with arguably the most mature and extensive industry, the USA, and highlight the implications for water usage and water rights. We conclude that, given the weight of testimony of local people from our research, along with data from scientific literature, non-governmental organization (NGO) and other policy reports, that the right to water for residents living near fracking sites is likely to be severely curtailed. Even so, from the data presented here, we argue that the major issue regarding water use is the shifting of the resource from society to industry and the demonstrable lack of supply-side price signal that would demand that the industry reduce or stabilize its water demand per unit of energy produced. Thus, in the US context alone, there is considerable evidence that the human right to water will be seriously undermined by the growth of the unconventional oil and gas industry, and given its spread around the globe this could soon become a global human rights issue.

scholarly journals Freedom of Expression in Malaysia: Compatibility with the International Human Rights Standard

BESTUUR ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Saidah Fasihah Binti Che Yussoff ◽  
Rohaida Nordin
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Right ◽  
International Human Rights ◽  
International Human

<p>Malaysia is likely to introduce new laws on freedom of information. However, the important questions are whether the said laws are effective and will have enough bite with the public looking forward to opening government policy. Freedom of information has developed under international human rights law as the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart knowledge and ideas through media, regardless of any frontier. This paper aims to examine freedom of expression under the international realm, scrutinize the said freedom in the Malaysian legal framework, and discuss the proposed enactment of freedom of information laws in Malaysia in conformity with international human rights law. This research uses the qualitative research method. This paper concludes that freedom of information in Malaysia is severely impeded by the enforcement of the Official Secret Act. This paper calls for the repeal or amendment to the Act in conformity with international standards.  </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong><strong>:</strong> Expression; Freedom; Expression; Human Right.</p>

scholarly journals Assessment of bacteriological quality of drinking water from various sources in Amritsar district of northern India

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (08) ◽  
pp. 844-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sita Malhotra ◽  
Shailpreet K Sidhu ◽  
Pushpa Devi
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Safe Water ◽  
Bacteriological Quality ◽  
Northern India ◽  
Quality Of Water ◽  
The Government ◽  
High Level

Introduction: Safe water is a precondition for health and development and is a basic human right, yet it is still denied to hundreds of millions of people throughout the developing world. Water-related diseases caused by insufficient safe water supplies, coupled with poor sanitation and hygiene, cause 3.4 million deaths a year, mostly in children. Methodology: The present study was conducted on 1,317 drinking water samples from various water sources in Amritsar district in northern India. All the samples were analyzed to assess bacteriological quality of water for presumptive coliform count by the multiple tube test. Results: A total of 42.9% (565/1,317) samples from various sources were found to be unfit for human consumption. Of the total 565 unsatisfactory samples, 253 were from submersible pumps, 197 were from taps of piped supply (domestic/public), 79 were from hand pumps, and 36 were from various other sources A significantly high level of contamination was observed in samples collected from submersible pumps (47.6%) and water tanks (47.3%), as these sources of water are more exposed and liable to contamination. Conclusions: Despite continuous efforts by the government, civil society, and the international community, over a billion people still do not have access to improved water resources. Bacteriological assessment of all sources of drinking should be planned and conducted on regular basis to prevent waterborne dissemination of diseases.

Right to Sanitation in Urban Areas

2019 ◽  
pp. 195-227
Author(s):  
Mathew John
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Fundamental Change ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Urban Sanitation ◽  
Effective Delivery ◽  
Administrative Framework ◽  
Policy Direction ◽  
The Right ◽  
Water Boards

This chapter looks at the emergence of the right to sanitation as a problem for public administration. Although sanitation has been articulated in terms of a human right, it is often unclear what this means for policy direction in relation to its administration and delivery. Indeed, it is even unclear whether there should be any fundamental change in administrative framework at all for the more effective delivery of urban sanitation. In this context this chapter recounts and critically analyses the legal framework (centred on water boards and urban local bodies) that delivers urban sanitation and the forms in which the various players are brought to account through courts and other forms of administrative regulation. Set against this background this chapter assess the connections between forms of governance and regulation, and their impact on the delivery of sanitation as a basic human right.

scholarly journals Sustainable access to safe drinking water: fundamental human right in the international and national scene

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celso Maran de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Human Person ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Economic Resources ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Human Rights Treaties ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
The Government

Access to potable water is absolutely essential to the maintenance of life, as well as to provide regular exercise of other human rights. The lack of access to water in sufficient quantity or access to non-potable water may cause serious and irreparable damage to people. This paper investigates the evolution of international and national recognition of this fundamental human right, whether implicit or explicit. This was accomplished by the study of international human rights treaties, bibliographic information on water resources and their corresponding legal systems, national and international. The results suggest that sustainable access to drinking water is a fundamental human right in the context of international relations and the State. Further, even without explicitly stating this right in the Constitution of 1988, Brazil has incorporated the main international provisions on the subject, but this right must be acknowledged according to the principles of non-typical fundamental rights and the dignity of the human person. This right should be universally guaranteed by the Government in sufficient quantity and quality, regardless of the economic resources of individuals.

scholarly journals Identifying Problems in Watering Ponds with Different Purposes

Environments ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Manuel Pulido ◽  
Alberto Alfonso-Torreño ◽  
Jesús Barrena-González ◽  
Rafael Robina-Ramírez ◽  
Mohamed Amine Abdennour
Keyword(s):  
Fish Farming ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Fecal Coliforms ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Azolla Filiculoides

The main goal of this study was to identify the problems that are putting the viability of watering ponds at risk. For doing that, we have analyzed five different study cases: (I) livestock consumption, Mediterranean climate (rangelands of SW Spain), (II) multifunctional ponds (Arroyo de la Luz, Spain), (III) ecotourism (Valdepajares de Tajo, Spain), (IV) crop irrigation and fish farming, semi-arid climate (the wilaya of Ouargla, Algeria), and (V) livestock consumption, humid subtropical climate (Prudentópolis, Brazil). The identification of problems was made through surveys, personal interviews, local knowledge and literature review as well as through the analysis of water quality parameters such as the concentration of phosphates and fecal coliforms in some ponds. We have identified problems of water shortage (ca. 50% of rangeland farmers), pollution induced by agriculture (maximum values of phosphates = 1.33 mg L−1) and livestock farming (maximum value of fecal coliforms ≈ 7000 cfu mL−1), low potability for human consumption (score: 2.8/7.0), invasive species such as Azolla filiculoides (10 out of 17 watering ponds), high water temperature for aquaculture in summer (Algeria) and the increase of turbidity in nearby water courses due to the actions of free-fattening pigs (Brazil), among many other problems. We conclude an extra effort by stakeholders is still needed in order to agree mitigation strategies.

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