-RIGHT TO WATER- PROPOSED UN DECLARATION


"We declare that water is a common heritage of human kind. Earth's fresh
water belongs to all living species and therefore must not be treated as a
commodity to be bought, sold and traded for profit as an economic good.
Local human communities have the primary responsibility to guarantee that
water is treated as a common heritage.

"Water is a fundamental human and social right. The right to water in
quantity and quality sufficient to life is an individual and collective
inalienable right which cannot be submitted to any constraint of social
(sex, age, income) political, religious or financial nature.

"The cost to satisfy such a right for all must be financed by the
collectivity.

"Water is essential to the security of our communities and societies.
For this reason its ownership, control, delivery and management belong in
the public domain. Citizen must be at the heart of the decision process in
water affairs. Water management policies must ensure social equity such as
gender equity, public health and environmental equity.