Summary

Access to water and sanitation in spheres of life beyond the household, particularly in public spaces, is an essential element of the human rights to water and sanitation. However, service provision and monitoring are often neglected in such places. As a result, potential violations of human rights occur frequently and disproportionately impact persons that live in vulnerable situations, such as the homeless. In such cases, the violations of the rights to water and sanitation determine the violation of several other related rights. The failure of States to include access to water and sanitation in public spaces and in other spheres of life beyond the household within their policy and planning is also inconsistent with the commitment they have made to the Sustainable Development Goals.