U.S. Explanation of Vote on Human Rights Council Resolution on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation
Human Rights Council 16th Session
Geneva,
March 23, 2011
Thank you, Mr. President.
The United States is committed to promoting access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Yesterday, at the World Bank, Secretary Clinton highlighted the dire situation and the need for action. She stated: “We know that for hundreds of millions of people today, water represents a deadly threat. And the risks that they face in finding water, hauling it, drinking it, cooking and bathing with it, add up to the defining challenge of their lives. There is nothing more important than that. So let’s get about the business of working together…to make a difference, to contribute to solving the water crisis and to brining greater health and stability to more of the world’s people.” We hope that the work of the Independent Expert whose mandate is being renewed today helps to make a significant contribution to that goal. We reaffirm our commitment to this issue, and look forward to continued discussions on the complex issues surrounding how best to bring about practical achievements regarding safe drinking water and sanitation.
Thank you, Mr. President.