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Why busy with the right to water instead of 'governance'?

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Right to water skeptics normally pose this typical question: Why the right to water instead of governance?

Here's a short answer: you can't go to the court asking for good governance.

Illustration:

If you are disconnected from the services, you can't say to the judge:

"For the sake of good governance, please, reconnect me to the network."

compare with this statement:

"There is a human right to water in the constitution, I should, at least be permitted to pay in arrears, the disconnection is illegal."
 
Put it simply, the right to water creates rights and obligations. It can even create obligation for a good water governance. Remember, governance does not stand by itself. One of the indicator is the rule of law.