Imperative Participation of Private Sector in Solving Water Crisis: The Role of Transnational Enterprises in Implementation of Right to Water as an Economic and Social Right

Abstract

The crisis in global natural water will be an issue of concern in this century for several reasons. Some of them are population growth, climate changes and specifically unsustainable use of water resources that makes provision of safe drinking water one of the most important global concerns. As one of the human rights, the right to water will be a major concern. Undoubtedly, states have an international duty to ensure individual’s access to safe drinking water. But solving water crisis and finding further methods to use the water resources more sustainably shall not be attainable without the participation of the private sector. The engagement of transnational enterprises with high financial, technical and human resources from the private sector in water provision and management with respect to the right to water, reveals the importance of reviewing the role and responsibility of private sector, specifically transnational corporations in implementation of right to water. The present article, choosing interdisciplinary approach, attempts to review the legal and ethical justifications of private enterprises’ responsibility for human right to water as well as determine the nature and scope of such responsibility as a financial entity, not as public interest provider.

Keywords

• right to water
• transnational enterprises
• water privatization
• horizontal application of human rights
• corporate responsibility