United Nations: A new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation has called for a fundamental reassessment of the global water crisis, which continues to deny millions of people access to safe and clean drinking water.
The report, issued by Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, stresses the urgent need for coordinated international strategies to manage water resources more effectively. It highlights that water scarcity disproportionately affects poor and marginalised communities, many of whom live near rivers or over polluted groundwater reserves but remain unable to access safe supplies.
Arrojo-Agudo underscored that the crisis should not be viewed solely as a question of scarcity solvable through technological interventions. Instead, he called for a human rights-based approach, which recognises safe water and sanitation as fundamental rights that governments and international bodies must actively protect.
The findings come at a time when billions worldwide face increasing pressure from pollution, climate change, and mismanagement of water systems. By framing the issue through a rights-based lens, the UN aims to shift global policy discussions toward ensuring equitable access to clean water as a matter of justice, not just infrastructure
