Handbook for Realizing the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation

The Handbook, Realizing the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, was developed in 2014 by Catarina de Albuquerque, the first Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation, as she ended her mandate. The purpose of the Handbook was then, and is still now, to:

- clarify the meaning of the human rights to water and sanitation;
- explain the obligations that arise from these rights;
- provide guidance on implementing the human rights to water and sanitation;
- share some examples of good practice and show how these rights are being implemented;
- explore how States can be held to account for delivering on their obligations;
- provide checklists, so users can assess compliance with the human rights to water and sanitation.
All booklets from the manual can be found below. The Handbook is available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.