Translating the Human Right to Water and Sanitation into Public Policy Reform

Translating the Human Right to Water and Sanitation into Public Policy Reform.(2014). Meier BM, Kayser GL, Kestenbaum JG, Amjad UQ, Dalcanale F and Bartram J. Science and Engineering Ethics. doi: 10.1007/s11948-013-9504-x.

This research examines interpretations of the human right to water and sanitation in global governance, national policy, and local practice through interviews with informants in international institutions, national governments, and NGOs. The authors analyze the limitations of translating international human rights into local water and sanitation practice, concluding that system operators, utilities, and management boards remain largely unaffected by the changing public policy landscape for human rights realization. This article frames a research agenda to ensure that human rights aspirations lead to public policy reforms and public health outcomes.