Activists, church leaders appeal to global community for water rights

Published: 2006-03-24

MEXICO CITY (CNS) -- Water rights activists appealed to the international community to recognize water as a fundamental human right at the fourth World Water Forum in Mexico. They urged the international community to foster cooperation among churches and institutions on all levels, to exercise responsible water management and to prevent exploitation of water for commercial purposes. The March 16-22 forum in Mexico City, brought together water rights activists, including aid agencies and churches, that called for a decrease in the privatization of water. The events focused on the theme "Local Actions for a Global Challenge." Anette von Schoenfeld from the German branch of Bread for the World, a Christian nongovernmental organization, said she was pleased with the outcome of the information campaign, even though the main stance of the human rights organizations -- that free access to water should be considered a human right -- was not supported by the forum's final document.

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