Report from the Radcliffe Exploratory Seminar on the 'Human Rights to Water and Sanitation: From Theory to Practice' held on December 7 & 8, 2012 at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University

Abstract

On Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8, 2012, sixteen scholars came together for a thought-provoking Radcliffe Exploratory Seminar at Harvard University on “The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation: From Theory to Practice.” The participants reflected a variety of academic disciplines, including philosophy, law, urban planning, geography, engineering, public health and economics. The agenda was developed in response to participant feedback and structured to promote cross-cutting dialogue. This report shares the key findings from the workshop. It is organized according to the key themes that emerged at the seminar: (1) Nature of the Right(s) to Water and Sanitation; (2) Content of the Human Right(s) to Water and Sanitation; (3) Strategies for Accountability; and (4) Community Perspective and Bottom-Up Critique of Human Rights.

Keywords: human rights, water, sanitation