GENEVA, 18 October 2025: The United Nations has issued a firm call for global reform in water governance, urging countries to shift away from market-based management approaches and instead adopt rights-based, democratic systems that ensure equitable access to water and sanitation. Pedro Arrojo Agudo, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, presented his report to the UN General Assembly on Friday, describing what he termed a “democratic crisis” in global water access.
He said billions of people continue to live without safe drinking water, not due to scarcity or lack of technology, but because of exclusionary governance and the commodification of water resources. The report emphasized that treating water as a tradable commodity through privatization, public-private partnerships, and financial speculation has contributed to inequality and jeopardized sustainable access.
Arrojo Agudo criticized speculative water futures markets, stating that financialisation of water undermines the ability of governments to ensure affordability, transparency, and accountability. Calling for a “paradigm shift,” the report outlines the need for a governance model grounded in international human rights law. It recommends adopting principles of equality, non-discrimination, public participation, legal accountability, and ecological sustainability.
It also urges governments to recognize the role of customary and Indigenous water tenure systems and to involve local communities in water management. The report stresses the importance of empowering women and marginalized groups in water governance, highlighting the need for their active participation in planning and decision-making. It cites evidence showing that inclusive and community-led governance structures lead to more resilient and sustainable water systems.
Climate change driving urgent need for water transition
In the context of the climate crisis, the report introduces the concept of a “water transition” that complements global energy transition efforts. This includes restoring aquatic ecosystems, safeguarding aquifers and wetlands, and integrating hydrological planning into urban development to reduce vulnerability to climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts. Arrojo Agudo noted that aquifers contain approximately 30 times more water than surface sources and serve as essential reserves during prolonged droughts.
The report advocates for improved conservation and management of these underground water bodies, warning that degradation of aquifers poses serious risks to long-term water security. To support equitable access, the Special Rapporteur recommends targeted public subsidies, soft financing mechanisms, and public investment to address water affordability, particularly in rural and low-income regions.
Human rights-based policy key to UN’s water governance plan
The report states that ensuring access to safe water and sanitation is a public responsibility and cannot be left to market forces. The findings were submitted under UN document A/HRC/60/30 and included an annex with observations from Arrojo Agudo’s official visit to Guinea-Bissau. The report concludes with a call for member states to adopt a governance framework that treats water not as a commodity, but as a common good central to human dignity, public health, and ecological balance.
The United Nations has positioned the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation as fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The current report adds to growing international scrutiny of privatization trends and calls for governments to realign water management with universal human rights standards. – By EuroWire News Desk.
