<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">--------From: <b class="gmail_sendername">PHM-SA Coordinator</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:coordinator@phmsouthafrica.org">coordinator@phmsouthafrica.org</a>></span><br><br><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:#003366">Updates from the UN
Human Rights Council</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
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The UN Human Rights Council has adopted landmark resolutions on water and
sanitation, and on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.<br>
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<b>Rights to water and sanitation as legally binding</b><br>
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The UN Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution (A/HRC/15/L.41) that
affirms that the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation is derived
from the right to an adequate standard of living. While experts working with
the UN human rights system have long acknowledged this, it was the first time
that the Human Rights Council has declared itself on the issue. The
resolution is seen as ‘real progress towards making these Rights a reality
for the people who need them’.<br>
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The resolution calls on states to, among other things, develop appropriate
tools and mechanisms, to realize these rights, ensure full transparency of
planning and implementation process in their provision, pay particular
attention to persons belonging to vulnerable and marginalized groups, and
ensure effective remedies for human rights violations<br>
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For further reading on this historic resolution, see the following websites:<br>
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<a href="http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/G10/163/09/PDF/G1016309.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank">http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/G10/163/09/PDF/G1016309.pdf?OpenElement</a><br>
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<a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=10403&LangID=E" target="_blank">http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=10403&LangID=E</a><br>
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<a href="http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/IOR40/018/2010/en/9b411b3d-35e0-4185-b900-4cdea1cbb6ae/ior400182010en.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/IOR40/018/2010/en/9b411b3d-35e0-4185-b900-4cdea1cbb6ae/ior400182010en.pdf</a><br>
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<b>Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association</b><br>
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The UN Human Rights Council has adopted by consensus a resolution
(A/HRC/15/L.23) to establish a new Special Procedures mandate – the Special
Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
The mandate of this special rapporteur includes reporting on violations of
these rights and on threats, harassment and reprisals against those
exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly.<br>
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For further reading on this resolution, see the following websites:<br>
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<a href="http://www.ishr.ch/council/919-council-adopts-landmark-resolutions-on-freedom-of-assembly-water-and-sanitation-and-indigenous-peop" target="_blank">http://www.ishr.ch/council/919-council-adopts-landmark-resolutions-on-freedom-of-assembly-water-and-sanitation-and-indigenous-peop</a><br>
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<a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/09/148486.htm" target="_blank">http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/09/148486.htm</a><br>
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<a href="http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/G10/164/82/PDF/G1016482.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank">http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/G10/164/82/PDF/G1016482.pdf?OpenElement</a><br>
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<br>
regards<br>
<br>
Lilian Chenwi (SERP)<br>
Community Law Centre<br>
University of the Western Cape<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="600" height="78" src="cid:image001.png@01CB6540.5BB768D0" alt="This project is funded by the European Union."><span style="font-size:12.0pt"></span></p>
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<p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">People's Health
Movement SA - Right to Health Campaign</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://www.phmsouthafrica.org" target="_blank">www.phmsouthafrica.org</a></span></p>
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