Summary

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur discusses development cooperation in the water and sanitation sector, assessing the roles that it can and should play in the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation.

Development cooperation can impact the human rights situation of a State or region in a positive or a negative way. In the present report, an exploratory work that will be complemented by a more in-depth report in 2017, the Special Rapporteur clarifies the relevant human rights obligations of bilateral and multilateral funders, including United Nations agencies. Subsequently, he assesses how development cooperation has been evolving in the water and sanitation sector. The Special Rapporteur presents a critical examination of relevant patterns and tendencies, drawing attention to the current approaches of funders and partner States in that field, with a focus on the related human rights principles and normative content. A number of key issues are addressed, with emphasis on measures that mitigate negative impact and maximize positive impact on human rights.