MRG Urges Action to Protect Aquatic Ecosystems and Ensure Safe Drinking Water for All
MRG Urges Action to Protect Aquatic Ecosystems and Ensure Safe ... Minority Rights Group
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This message was delivered on 14 September 2023 by Carl Söderbergh during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to water and sanitation at the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Special Rapporteur
Minority Rights Group warmly welcomes your report focusing on the need for states to protect aquatic ecosystems from pollution and overexploitation in order to fulfil the right to safe drinking water for all, including for marginalized and impoverished people.
In our recent Trends report, this year focusing on water, we identify many examples of minorities and indigenous peoples who depend on aquatic ecosystems that are badly affected by pollution, privatization and extraction for agro-industry. Underpinning these harms are often issues of racism and exclusion, multiplied through intersectionalities affecting especially minority and indigenous women and girls and persons with disabilities.
- Black urban communities in the United States must buy bottled water at great expense as authorities have not invested in the infrastructure needed to keeping local water sources free of contaminants.
- The Ogoni people of the Niger delta face the harmful impacts of the oil industry on their ecosystem which they depend on for their water and livelihoods.
- The Uyghur people of Xinjiang province in China are witnessing the degradation of their centuries-old karez system of underground water channels – a unique stewardship model – because of development projects initiated by the authorities and official neglect, resulting in water scarcity in the region.
What then is needed? We must stop viewing water as a for-profit commodity and learn from the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples and minorities, who value aquatic ecosystems as an intrinsic part of themselves and their cultures.
I thank you.
Watch the recording
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Photo: Screenshot from the advocacy statement video.
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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse globally | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action in this regard | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.4: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
Explanation:
The article discusses issues related to water pollution, access to safe drinking water, and the impact on marginalized and indigenous communities. These issues are directly connected to SDG 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation. The article also highlights the intersectionality of these issues, affecting minority and indigenous women, girls, and persons with disabilities, which aligns with SDG 10 on reduced inequalities. Additionally, the article mentions the degradation of water ecosystems in urban communities and the impact of development projects on water scarcity, linking to SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities. Finally, the article briefly mentions the harmful impacts of the oil industry and the need to address climate-related hazards, indicating a connection to SDG 13 on climate action.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
- Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
- Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
- Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
Explanation:
Based on the content of the article, specific targets that can be identified include ensuring universal access to safe drinking water (Target 6.1), improving water quality by reducing pollution and untreated wastewater (Target 6.3), promoting social and economic inclusion (Target 10.2), ensuring access to adequate housing and basic services (Target 11.1), and strengthening resilience to climate
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Source: minorityrights.org
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