Empowering the marginalised around the

Human Right to Water and Sanitation

Centre of Rural Studies and Development (CRSD)

ANDHRA PRADESH

INDIA

HILDA COELHO

The BackgroundThe Background In India the primary responsibility of providing drinking water

facility in the country rests with state governments Though the government has made inroads in providing drinking

water, millions of people lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation

Over exploitation of ground water Acute drinking water shortage in the summer Women’s spend four to six hours to fetch water at odd timings A basis for a right to water has been found in the Indian

Constitution (1950) under a fundamental right viz. right to life The Delhi Declaration of SACOSAN accepted that access to

safe water and adequate sanitation is a human right – Nov 2008

What worked?What worked? Training of women leaders on right to water, study of the

drinking water and sanitation situation Interface workshops with the community, peoples

representatives and department officials Small but strong units of organised people are more effective Using the media advocacy effectively Involving several caste leaders, opinion setters and

mobilized youth leaders Facilitating the empowering process for at least five years for

sustainability Building working relations with the government departments Petitioning, rallies and peaceful demonstrations, pamphlets

and posters

Results and ChallengesResults and Challenges More responsive and accountable governance Improved access to safe drinking water and

sanitation Women’s time for collecting water reduced Empowered women leaders and communities

using methods of mobilization effectively

ChallengeChallenge Sustaining mobilized motivated communities for

long periods of time Lack of resources for human rights work

What needs to be done?What needs to be done? Take up the advocacy work with the people’s

representatives cutting across the political party line More materials and support to develop change agents

and leaders to empower the poor to access their rights The water and sanitation sector could learn from

peoples movements about the strategies for empowering

Advocacy skills developed through appropriate training will go a long way in engaging with the public sector to deliver

public-public partnership

Mobilise the Marginalised into Mobilise the Marginalised into

effective pressure groupseffective pressure groups

JAI HO EMPOWERED PEOPLE