If the U.S. Had a National Human Rights Institution . . .

Unlike over 100 other nations, the United States does not have a national human rights institution (NHRI). But if it did, the US NHRI could participate in an international HRI-led initiative designed to strengthen HRIs’ oversight of water-related inequalities and other human rights violations.  The initiative was first launched in 2013 with a focus on good water governance.  As stated in its founding documents, “NHRIs can provide a core function in the promotion and protection of human rights linked to water and water governance and contribute to a human rights-based water governance.” 

In furtherance of these goals, in late January 2016, WaterLex and the Danish and South African human rights institutions published a training manual for use by NHRIs.  And in March 2016, they will launch an on-line training platform on water rights for NHRIs.

US advocates have been working for some years to establish an NHRI without success.  But as we in the US learned in recent weeks, human rights oversight is critically important when it comes to water.  If the US did have an NHRI, it could fill an important gap in monitoring, sharing information,  and supporting local implementation of the human right to water and sanitation.