Événement Conférence
Turning the Spotlight on the Right to Sanitation | HRC63 Side Event
16 Sep 2026
14:00 – 15:00
Lieu: Palais des Nations | Concordia 1
Organisation: Procédures spéciales du Conseil des droits de l’homme, Allemagne, Espagne, International Dalit Solidarity Network, ONGAWA
This side event to the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC63) will expand the conversation beyond the constraints of the interactive dialogue at the Human Rights Council, feed into discussions on the right to sanitation at the 2026 Water Conference, the forthcoming review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and deliberations on the post-2030 agenda, promoting a human rights-based approach to sanitation. This side event is organized by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to water and sanitation, Germany, Spain, International Dalit Solidarity Network and ONGAWA, with the support of the Geneva Environment Network.
About this Event
The human right to sanitation was recognized 16 years ago, with General Assembly resolution 64/292. Despite incremental progress, however, as a human right, it remains to be realized and it has remained in the shadow of the more popular human right to safe drinking water.
Only a handful of States recognize the human right to sanitation in their Constitution or other domestic laws.
Although some countries have nevertheless made remarkable progress, as of 2024, 3.4 billion people still lacked safely managed sanitation services, including 1.9 billion with basic services, 560 million with limited services, 555 million with unimproved services and 354 million practising open defecation, nearly all of them in rural areas.
1.7 billion people still lacked basic hygiene services (availability of a handwashing facility with soap and water at home), including 1 billion with limited services (availability of a handwashing facility lacking soap and/or water at home) and 611 million with no handwashing facility at home.
Menstruation is a normal biological process experienced by an estimated 2.1 billion adolescent girls and women, in addition to 129 million adolescent girls who begin menstruating before the age of 15, as well as transgender men, non-binary people and intersex persons who also menstruate. Despite the normality of this process, 500 million worldwide still lack access to menstrual products and adequate menstrual hygiene management facilities.
Behind these numbers, certain populations in marginalized situations experience very specific vulnerabilities. Among them are: women and girls, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, rural communities, people living in informal settlements, Indigenous Peoples, communities facing discrimination on the basis of work and descent, displaced populations, persons deprived of liberty, people living in homelessness, transgender and gender-diverse persons. Under international human rights law, States have an obligation to take immediate measures to address discrimination in the access to sanitation.
With his new and final report (A/HRC/63/34) to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation calls for a renewed commitment to the full realization of sanitation as a human right. Sanitation is not only a fundamental human right in itself, but also an indispensable enabler of numerous other human rights, including the human rights to safe drinking water, health, education, adequate housing, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. It has long been recognized as a strong determinant of human development and was consistently included as part of the millennium development goals (Goal 7), followed by the sustainable development goals (Goal 6).
Leading experts joining the panel of this event will expand the conversation beyond the constraints of the interactive dialogue at the Human Rights Council, feed into discussions on the right to sanitation at the 2026 Water Conference, the forthcoming review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and deliberations on the post-2030 agenda, promoting a human rights-based approach to sanitation.
Environment @ HRC63
The 63rd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC63) will take place in Geneva from 7 September to 7 October 2026. Consult this regularly-updated page that highlighted the environmental-related activities of this session.
Speakers
H.E. Amb. Clara CABRERA
Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Pedro ARROJO AGUDO
UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to water and sanitation
Bethanie CARNEY ALMROTH
UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights
Rick JOHNSTON
World Health Organization Lead, WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP)
Manjula PRADEEP
Dalit human and women’s rights activist, International Dalit Solidarity Network (video message)
Gunnar BERKEMEIER
Head of Political Section, Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva | Moderator
Highlights
Video
Live from Palais des Nations
Photo Gallery
Links
- Environment @ 63rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
- A/HRC/63/34: Making the human right to sanitation a reality for all | UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation