【朗報】国連総会で「安全で清潔な水と衛生設備」を基本的人権であると宣言（決議採択）

国連総会で「安全で清潔な水と衛生設備」を基本的人権であると宣言（決議採択）

　2010年7月28日、国連総会の場で、「安全で清潔な水と衛生設備は基本的人権である」との決議が採択されました。192の加盟国・機関の総会中、賛成122ヶ国、反対0ヶ国、棄権41ヶ国という内訳でした。さすがに反対票を投じた国はありませんでしたが（そんなことをすれば「人権侵害国」「人類の敵」として国際世論の非難を浴びることは火を見るよりも明らか）、棄権した41ヶ国には米国などともに日本政府も含まれています。

（参考文献）
この問題についての詳しい解説は、岩波書店の雑誌『世界』2010年10月号掲載の「世界の潮」欄の佐久間智子「国連における「水と衛生に対する権利」決議の意味」を参照してもらいたい。

【デモクラシー・ナウ！の動画】歴史的な国連総会決議：飲み水と下水施設は基本的人権である
http://democracynow.jp/video/20100729-3

国連総会は、水と公衆衛生は基本的人権であるという史上初の宣言を行いました。7月28日におこなわれた歴史的な投票で、122カ国の支持を得て決議が成立しました。米国とカナダ、一部のヨーロッパの国々、その他の先進工業国など40カ国以上は棄権しましたが、さすがに決議に反対した国はありませんでした。長年にわたる水の権利活動家、モード・バーロウに、この画期的な決議について聞きます。

ゲスト
モード・バーロウ（Maude Barlow） カナダの環境活動家、「カナダ人会議」の議長、Blue Planet Project の共同創始者、Food and Water Watch の理事長

字幕翻訳：田中泉／校正：大竹秀子
全体監修：中野真紀子

　　
国連HPより
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10967.doc.htm

The representative of Japan expressed regret that the resolution had not been adopted by consensus, recalling that for decades, the Japanese Government had been the largest bilateral donor to the water sector worldwide. Japan also supported the Geneva process, and deeply regretted that an exhaustive discussion on the right to clean water and adequate sanitation had not been held before the resolution had been tabled. Japan had therefore abstained, she said, adding that her country would continue to support the process while sparing no effort to help all countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

　後半に水問題に関する国連日本調査団の報告（ウトロ地区の調査など）も出ています。

　何にせよ、ボリビア提案のこの「水は基本的人権である」との決議が国連総会で採択されたことは、水問題解決に向けて、大きな前進であると評価することができます。

　映画「ブルーゴールド」で描かれていた、カナダの水問題活動家モード・バーロウさんなどの活動やボリビア・コチャバンバでの民衆の多国籍企業や国際金融機関との闘い（およびコチャバンバ会議やコチャバンバ宣言の成果）が国際政治の舞台で結実したグローバル民主主義の前進にとっても重要な一歩です。

（写真：2000年におきたボリビア･コチャバンバ市での水戦争で水の民営化に抗議する市民）

国連HPより
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35456&Cr=SANITATION&Cr1=　

General Assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right

28 July 2010 Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, the General Assembly declared today, voicing deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water.

The 192-member Assembly also called on United Nations Member States and international organizations to offer funding, technology and other resources to help poorer countries scale up their efforts to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for everyone.

The Assembly resolution received 122 votes in favour and zero votes against, while 41 countries abstained from voting.

The text of the resolution expresses deep concern that an estimated 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water and a total of more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. Studies also indicate about 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year and 443 million school days are lost because of water- and sanitation-related diseases.

Today’s resolution also welcomes the UN Human Rights Council’s request that Catarina de Albuquerque, the UN Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, report annually to the General Assembly as well.

（写真〔左〕：コチャバンバの水戦争勝利10周年を祝う民衆のデモ）

Ms. de Albuquerque’s report will focus on the principal challenges to achieving the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation, as well as on progress towards the relevant Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The MDGs, a series of targets for reducing social and economic ills, all by 2015, includes the goals of halving the proportion of people who cannot reach or afford safe drinking water and halving the number who do not have basic sanitation.

In a related development, Ms. de Albuquerque issued a statement today after wrapping up a nine-day official visit to Japan in which she praised the country for its nearly universal access to water and sanitation and for its use of innovative technologies to promote hygiene and treat wastewater.
But the Independent Expert said she was shocked that some members of the Utoro community near Kyoto, where Koreans have been living for several generations, still do not have access to water from the public network.

“People are also not connected to the sewage network, despite the fact that the surrounding area is largely covered by sewage service,” she said. “When floods occur, as happened one year ago, the lack of sewage and proper evacuation of grey water result in contamination of the environment, including with human faeces, posing serious health concerns.

“I am also worried that water and sanitation are extremely expensive for some people living in Utoro, who reportedly do not have a right to receive a pension.”