About the Global Call HRWatSan2026

Starting on World Water Day 2026 (March 22) and towards the 2026 UN Water Conference (December 2-4) and the UN Human Rights Day (December 10), the Blue Community Network initiated this global call to enshrine the human rights to water and sanitation in the constitution of every country, providing the constitutional basis to challenge any situation in which this right is violated. Constitutional recognition creates a strong legal basis for defending access to clean water and sanitation in courts and shapes national water policy — offering a higher level of legal protection than statutory law alone.

Where the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation are already stipulated in the constitution, we suggest to use the call as a global platform for according legal regulations and bylaws, for their enforcement and monitoring. The campaign therewith provides a platform for all participating institutions and organisations to promote their work.

The global call

• is inclusive. Every institution and organisation agreeing with the demands can add its voice.
• allows organisations and individuals to line up behind the demand (online petition)
• is open for every participating institution/organisation to participate in the way that best suits it and to translate the overall call into locally adapted claims.
• The campaign targets different levels:
  a) state authorities (on all levels) to adopt the human right to water and sanitation into the constitution and laws.
  b) cities/municipalities, state institutions, universities etc. to assure the proper implementation of the constitution and laws, to enforce and monitor their implementation, and to involve civil organisations in the decision making and monitoring.
  c) public / population to be aware of the human right to water and sanitation as a state obligation, empowering people to hold the authorities accountable.
  d) media usw. to get involved and take up / report about the campaign.

Concept and design for the Global Call

Tools:

• The website of the Blue Community Network has a specific campaign page, including the form to sign the petition (for organisations/institutions and for individuals) and a campaign pop-up on the front-page of the website.
• Representatitves of organisations/institutions participating in the campaign release a media statement to launch this campaign.
• The social media channels of the Blue Community Network will regularly inform about, transport and promote the campaign including activities by supporting organisations/institutions.
• Blue Community Ambassadors and others support the campaign with statements.
• For specific occasions like World Toilet Day, Human Rights Day etc. specific calls are produced and launched to promote the global call.
• The Blue Community Network provides visuals and texts available to all participating organisations to promote the global call on their own website and channels.
• Blue Communities and other participating institutions/organisations shall produce their own campaign materials and channels according to their needs and resources. They may use any of the above materials provided by the Blue Community Network.

Visuals in other languages or other visuals can be provided upon request.

Next steps

• Until end of November: Continuous reporting of the progress, activities of participants etc
• Presentation for UN Water Conference 2026 and UN Human Rights Day (Dec. 10)

Are you with us? State your support/participation in this global call here.

For extensive background information on the current status of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation in national constitutions see here on the Blue Community Network website.