See the Special Report of the Public Defender of Georgia on the Realization of the Right to Water in Georgia.

Water is a limited natural resource and a public good that forms the foundation of life. We find references to the right to water in a number of international resolutions and reports. In 2010, for the first time, the UN General Assembly recognized the human right to safe water and sanitation as an essential right for the full enjoyment of life and realization of human rights.

The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic (household) use.

Given the relevance and urgency of the issue at the global and national levels, the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia prioritized work on the right to water in 2024, with the support of the UN, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and Norway.

The Office, based on human rights-based approaches and international standards, developed a special methodology, based on which representatives of the Office visited 35 villages in 5 regions and 15 municipalities of Georgia.

The special report analyzes international standards of the right to water, state obligations, substantive aspects and principles of the right, national regulations, as well as challenges in various municipalities of Georgia. The special report offers proposals and recommendations to the relevant agencies, the implementation of which will contribute to the implementation of this right.