By Meghana Venkatesh.
Meghana is a student on our MPH International Development programme.
It might be tempting to look at a community’s lack of access to adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and determine that more WASH infrastructure is the best solution. This approach overlooks the underlying power dynamics and legal structures preventing marginalized groups from adequate access to WASH.
Traditional development practices have largely seen the issue of limited WASH access as technical, and focused on building and maintaining infrastructure and improving water quality. While these interventions fix the immediate problem, a human-rights based approach (HRBA) goes beyond this to analyze the sociopolitical and cultural inequalities preventing marginalized groups from adequate WASH.
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognized the right to safe, affordable water and sanitation as an essential human right for all people, yet millions worldwide still lack access to adequate water and sanitation. Treating WASH as a human rights issue allows the use of policy, empowerment principles and advocacy to address the disparities in WASH access as well as create a sustainable development solution.
"National Water and Sanitation Program brings better water and sanitation services to rural parts of Azerbaijan" by World Bank Photo Collection is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldbank/8205651439
A human-rights based approach puts people at the center of development by focusing on 2 key actors; the rights-holder (individual) and the duty-bearer (state). HRBA aims to build the capacity of the duty-bearers so that they can protect, respect and fulfill the rights of the rights-holders. In turn, the rights-holders are empowered to hold the duty-bearers accountable.
Looking at WASH through a rights based lens allows us to analyze why vulnerable members of a community struggle most for access to safe water. Ethnic and religious minorities, women, and the elderly to name a few can still have difficulty accessing clean water even when the region overall seems to be thriving. A HRBA focuses on rights for all, with a special emphasis on the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that everyone’s best interests are accounted for.
Furthermore, this framework empowers beneficiaries to take ownership of their rights so that they are no longer recipients of charity but active participants in their own development outcomes. HRBA can lead to longstanding, sustainable development because as people directly participate in projects “they are more committed and motivated to look after the project once international and donor support has gone” (Filmer-Wilson, 2005).
"Oh dear.. save water!" by Vinoth Chandar is licensed under CC BY 2.0
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/4415664247
While the use of HRBA in the WASH sector is still relatively new, there are many compelling case studies globally that suggest a HRBA can create significant change. In 2014, a two year WaterAid HRBA program piloted in Burkina Faso has led to the inclusion of the right to WASH in the national constitution, as well as in other areas of the local government. The program also prioritized representation for marginalized groups and trained local government officials to be allies for the local WASH sector; such empowerment of local officials and vulnerable citizens alike is key for a project’s sustainability.
People and their participation are central to a human-rights based approach, and integral to the longevity of WASH interventions. Applying a HRBA to development initiatives worldwide can better the quality of life for all members of a community.
References
- Filmer-Wilson, E. (2005) The Human Rights-Based Approach to Development: The Right to Water. Netherlands quarterly of human rights, 23(2), pp.213–241.
- Nwafor, A and Ouangre, L. (2016) Achieving systemic change in WASH through the Human Rights Based Approach. 7th RWSN Forum “Water for Everyone” Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
- WaterAid (2017) Guidelines on embeddings and integrating a Human Rights-Based approach in WaterAid Programmes. WaterAid, London.
