No water, no life: on the basic human right to water

Abstract

This article argues that the right to water is basic human right. It discusses the right in context of international human rights law, and details how the right should be interpreted in broad sense with reference to the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to food. The right is multi-dimensional, and entails both consumption and production needs. At the same time, the right to water is threatened by international conflict and contemporary climate changes. Thus, the right to water should thus be interpreted in a broader sense to include not only adequate standard of living and the right to food, but also entail for production needs.