Real World Radio interviewed Anil Naidoo, member of the Council of Canadians, an organization that has worked strongly as part of the international movement for the human right to water. Naidoo was part of the team that was working in New York, US, before and after the UN vote.

The Bolivian President welcomed the decision because now the international community considers that “water is a human right and not a private business”, reports Agencia Boliviana de Informacion. “Once the international community recognizes water as a human right, it should be managed by the Mayoralties, the local governments, the national government, instead of private corporations”, said Morales.

The Bolivian Constitution recognizes the human right to water, while Uruguay was the first country in the world to nationalize water in October of 2004.
In an interview with Real World Radio, Anil Naidoo highlighted the work of the Council of Canadians before the vote, with lobby meetings with government and NGO representatives in New York.

The activist stressed that the General Assembly’s decision “was a great victory, because not one country voted against it even though we know there are great opponents to the recognition of the human right to water and sanitation”. “Though we are concerned certainly that some powerful countries abstained and we think that they will continue to be opposed”.

Naidoo emphasized that the 122 votes in favor and the lack of votes against the resolution “shows the will of the General Assembly” above the position of some powerful countries. “This is a great victory because now we can move forward. We will not be held back by these governments”.

The United Kingdom, Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand, pressured against the passing of the resolution on the last minute, and then abstained from voting. The UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation also pressured against the recognition of the human right to water and sanitation.

Naidoo said there was a meeting of European Union countries the night before the UN General Assembly’s vote, to try to reach a common position. There, 17 out of the 27 countries of the bloc voted against the resolution, but there was no agreement because several European states supported the initiative.

The activist highlighted the vote in favor of Germany, Spain, France, Italy and also countries like China, India, Brazil and South Africa. There is still a long way to go to make sure that this new right is actually enforced and that the international agencies will work to duly implement it. The social movements and organizations around the world have a key role to play, he said.

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